AWARDS
North Square Stories and the reconstruction of North Square received two awards in 2020.
Boston Preservation Alliance
In recognition of, among other things, the importance of storytelling in keeping our histories alive.
American Public Works Association
For excellence in the management and administration of public works projects.
ABOUT THE PROJECT
North Square Stories Project Statement | A+J Art+Design
On September 23, 2019, Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh, the North Square project team and the North End community celebrated the completed reconstruction of Boston’s oldest public square. North Square is the location of many sites of local and national historical significance: Paul Revere House, Mariners House, Sacred Heart Church, numerous other historic buildings and The Freedom Trail. Now it is also home to Boston’s newest permanent public artwork, A+J Art+Design’s North Square Stories. A+J joined the project team of the Boston Public Works Department (PWD), BETA Group Inc., and the Boston Art Commission of the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture and the project broke ground on October 11, 2017.
ARTIST STATEMENT
NORTH SQUARE STORIES: PARTICIPATORY ENGAGEMENT IN BRONZE FROM A NEW GENERATION OF MONUMENTS
North Square Stories is a site-specific, long-term public art installation that was commissioned by the City of Boston as the pilot project for the City’s new percent-for-art program. North Square is located in Boston’s historic North End neighborhood and has been in continuous use as a public square since the 1630’s. The Freedom Trail passes through the Square which, prior to the Pandemic, was visited annually by over 4 million people. As such, the Square is historically rich and varied. Known historical figures such as Paul Revere, who lived on the Square in a house that still stands, overshadow the names and stories of lesser known or unknown North Square figures.
THE SCULPTURES
Find out more about the North Square Stories artwork in North Square.
1798 North Square View
The first sculpture encountered on arriving at North Square from the south along the Freedom Trail and North Square Street.
North End Story Map
A thee-dimensional map of the North End is installed on the north side of the Square.
Fantastical Historical Nautical Instrument
A complex viewing and navigation instrument, with an assemblage of scopes facing in many different directions…
What We Brought With Us
A miniature landscape of North Square inside a suitcase, celebrating North End traditions and made with help from local students…
MEET THE PROJECT TEAM
A+J Art+Design
Artist Team
A+J Art+Design is a multidisciplinary collaboration between artists Ann Hirsch and Jeremy Angier who believe that public art can provoke and entice while inspiring civic engagement.
The Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture and Boston Art Commission
City of Boston Arts Board
The Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture (MOAC) “enhances the quality of life, the economy, and the design of the City through the arts…
Boston Public Works with BETA Group, Inc.
Project Lead and Design Consultants
The Boston Public Works Department (BPWD) will be making site improvements to North Square in collaboration with Design Consultants BETA Group, Inc.
Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services
Community Advisory Panel
The Boston Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services helped administer the North Square Public Art Project Advisory Panel. You can see posts on the Panel’s activity through our blog:
RECENT POSTS
Walking with Ben Edwards
Ben Edwards of @BostonHistory is one of our favorite walkers and lately walking is one of our favorite things! Thank... read more →
January 28, 2021
Alice Brown’s North End Alleys feature, Boston Magazine
On the heels of her "12 Days of Alleys for Christmas" thread, Alice Brown of Boston Harbor Now, the @FerryFaerie... read more →
January 28, 2021
Premiering today at 12:15, The BPA North Square film!
We can't wait to see the film produced... read more →
October 30, 2020
Vote North Square for Fan Favorite! One of Nine Boston Preservation Award Projects.
The North Square reconstruction project was awarded one of nine 2020 Preservation Achievement Awards by the Boston Preservation Alliance. The... read more →
October 8, 2020
APWA 2020 Project of the Year – North Square!!!
North Square Stories by A+J Art+Design along with the North Square reconstruction project has been named a 2020 Historical Restoration/Preservation... read more →
September 1, 2020
Boston’s new North Square is a 2020 Preservation Achievement Award winner!
We're happy to announce that the North Square restoration project with our "North Square Stories" has been awarded a 2020... read more →
June 11, 2020
Legends of the North End
On a recent winter's afternoon, A+J were very lucky to meet friends Tommy Damigella and James Pasto, who both served... read more →
February 20, 2020
New North Square now a Movie Production Destination
North Square was recently transformed into a movie set for a new Disney film. We're wondering if this is the... read more →
February 10, 2020
The Story of <em>North Square Stories</em>
Please enjoy a short video which tells the story of the making of North Square Stories. Thank you Opalite Media... read more →
February 10, 2020
Merry Winter, North Square
Wishing one and all a very warm Season's Greetings! We're thinking with heartfelt gratitude of everyone who lent their support... read more →
December 19, 2019
North End Story Vault App Development
We're very lucky to be working with the extraordinary Luke Hollis and the team at Archimedes Digital, based in Cambridge.... read more →
November 13, 2019
Ribbon Cutting at North Square, September 23rd, 2019!!
North Square and Boston’s newest public artwork was dedicated on September 23rd, 2019 thanks to the hard work of so... read more →
September 25, 2019
WITH THANKS
We thank Joseph Fleury and the Boston Public Works Department, Karin Goodfellow, Kara Eliot-Ortega and Sarah Rodrigo of the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture and the Boston Art Commission, Architectural Paving and Stone and BETA Inc. for their support and partnership as well as the Selection Committee for the North Square Public Art project and Mayor Marty Walsh for his support.
We especially thank the NEWNC and NEWRA community groups and members of our Advisory Panel, including: Jim Pasto, Nina Zannieri, Ben Edwards, Suzanne Taylor, Richard and Bennett Molinari, Victor Brogna, Tommy Damigella, John Pregmon, Lindsay Yazzolino, David Kubiak, L’Merchie Frazier and the National Braille Press as well as Matt Conti and Northendwaterfront.com and Phillip Orlandella and the North End Regional Review. We also thank students of the St. John and Eliot Schools who contributed luggage label drawings to the “What We Brought With Us” sculpture. And so many others… Thank you!