On October 2, the Downtown Boston Business Improvement District (BID) will unveil “Tasteful Boston,” an outdoor public art installation in which a dozen regional artists transform 12 BID-area utility boxes into striking works of art that celebrate iconic elements of the city’s storied culinary history.
One of those artists is East Boston’s Stephanie Martinez whose proposal was chosen by a panel of judges from nearly 50 applicants.
Martinez will paint the utility boxes over the next few weeks, serving up slices of Boston food history.
Martinez’s vividly colored rendering of Boston’s Chinatown Gate depicts a diverse group of residents enjoying an equally diverse array of iconic Boston dishes.
The entire outdoor art project will focus on famous coffee and candy companies, the foods of diverse cultures, indelible food locations across the city, and some of Boston’s best-known dishes.
“Tasteful Boston” locations are centered in and around Downtown Crossing, spanning from Chinatown to Government Center to the heart of the Financial District.
Artists participating in “Tasteful Boston” are diverse in discipline and background, drawing on personal and family food memories as well as historical subjects.
Other artists featured in “Tasteful Boston” include the South End’s Carolyn Depot, Medford’s Rebecca Rose Greene, Charlestown-based Jasmine Lee, Hyde Park-based Khyle Parke, Elliot Portman of Brighton, Ellie MacQueen of Quincy, and Allston-based Aisling Wilson.
“These beautiful, whimsical and surprising ‘Tasteful Boston’ installations remind us that our art, our neighborhood, and our city’s rich culinary traditions are alive and ready to bounce back,” says Downtown Boston BID President and CEO Rosemarie Sansone. “Public art is one of the many ways the BID activates Boston’s resilient business district. As shoppers, diners, workers, and art lovers are ready to come back, we’ll be ready to welcome them.”
The Downtown Boston Business Improvement District (BID) was created by property owners committed to achieving the district’s full potential as a premier and vibrant destination. Its mission is to significantly improve the experience of all who live, work, visit, go to school or shop in the Downtown Boston BID by: providing supplemental services to keep the streets and sidewalks clean, upgrade the aesthetic appearance of the district, and make people feel welcomed and safe; promoting and fostering an energetic and thriving business climate in the area; and serving as the voice and advocate for the district.