Steve McQueen, Ashes, 2002–15. Two-channel video transferred from 8mm and 16mm film (color, sound; 20:31 minutes), two-sided screen, and posters. Gift of Tristin and Martin Mannion. Courtesy the artist, Marian Goodman Gallery, New York/Paris, and Thomas Dane Gallery, London. © Steve McQueen. All rights reserved.
Press are welcome to preview “Ashes” on Tuesday, February 14 from 5-6 PM. Please contact Lisa Colli, lcolli@icaboston.org or 617-480-4664, to RSVP or if you need additional information or images.
The Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston (ICA) presents the U.S. debut of Ashes, a momentous video installation by award-winning British artist Steve McQueen. This powerful, immersive work tells the story of Ashes, a charismatic young fisherman from Grenada, and his unexpected fate. On view from February 15, 2017 through February 25, 2018, Ashes was a standout at the 2015 Venice Biennale and was acquired by the ICA earlier this year. Steve McQueen: Ashes is organized by Dan Byers, Mannion Family Senior Curator, with Jeffrey De Blois, Curatorial Associate. The ICA introduced McQueen to Boston audiences with a film presentation in 1995.
“Steve McQueen is one of Britain’s most influential artists, known for his film and video installations, as well as feature films such as ‘Hunger’ and ‘Twelve Years a Slave,’” said Byers. “Ashes is a remarkable work of art and expands on McQueen’s subjects of the political body, and the ways in which bodies can be confined and defined by history, labor, and the legacies of colonialism and globalism. We’re fortunate to have this piece as part of our collection to share with visitors, and expect its visual and visceral power to make an indelible impression for years to come.”
Ashes is composed of two films projected simultaneously on either side of a hanging screen. One side, originally shot on soft, grainy Super 8 film, shows a young, carefree fisherman named Ashes balancing playfully on a pitching boat against a horizon of blue sky and water. He is surrounded by the open air and sea, completely at home in his world. McQueen met Ashes in Grenada while filming another work in 2002. The other side, shot in 16mm film, shows a second projection made eight years later and chronicles Ashes’s unexpected fate. Never seen together, yet linked by a shared soundtrack, the videos conjure an easy vitality and a vivid description of place against the darker forces of society and fate.
“Life and death have always lived side by side, in every aspect of life,” said McQueen. “We live with ghosts in our everyday.”
Steve McQueen’s Ashes is a gift of Tristin and Martin Mannion.
Steve McQueen was born in London in 1969. His work has been collected by museums throughout the world, including: Tate Gallery, London; MoMA, New York; The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago; and the Musée National d’Art Moderne George Pompidou, Paris. His film Five Easy Pieces showed at the ICA/Boston in 1995, one of his earliest screenings in the U.S. McQueen represented Britain at the Venice Biennale in 2009. A recent and highly acclaimed survey of his work was co-organized by the Art Institute of Chicago and the Schaulager, Basel. McQueen won the Camera d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2008 for his feature Hunger, the only British director to be granted the prize, and the FIPRESCI prize for Shame at the 2011 Venice Film Festival. 12 Years a Slave was awarded three Oscars at the 2014 Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Having been appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE, 2002), McQueen was created Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2011 New Year Honors for services to the Visual Arts. He lives and works in Amsterdam and London.
The Barking Crab. Photo by Lars Plougmann
Photo by Natasha Moustache
Photo by Katie Haugland
Photo by Natasha Moustache
Anna Craycroft, The Earth Is a Magnet, 2016. Two rooms, one featuring a selection of photography and ephemera produced by Berenice Abbott, displayed in relation to another room featuring recent artworks by Fia Backström, Katherine Hubbard, Matt Keegan, Jill Magid, MPA, Lucy Raven, Mika Rottenberg, A. L. Steiner, and Erika Vogt. Photo by John Kennard. © Anna Craycroft
Photo by Natasha Moustache
Photo by Danita Jo
Carol Bove, La traversée difficile (The difficult crossing) (detail), 2008. Steel, glass, wood, concrete, silver, brass, bronze, wax, insulating foam, coral, aluminum, seeds, rocks, shells, paper, and found photograph. 73 5/8 x 96 x 48 inches (187 x 243.8 x 121.9 cm). La Colección Jumex, Mexico City. Photo by John Kennard
Photo by Chris Hoodlet
Bundle up for a seasonal stroll through the burgeoning Boston seaport.
Hop off the Red Line at South Station and pop over to Dewey Square Park. Mehdi Ghadyanloo’s awesome trompe l’oeil Spaces of Hope currently holds court over the park – and is definitely a site worth seeing. Plus there are food trucks, weather permitting.
Dewey Square Park is between Congress Street, Summer Street, and Atlantic Avenue
The prolific artist has introduced us to the realm of public art possibilities…
The Huffington post
Pop into the Boston Society of Architects Space and enjoy eight gingerbread designs from teams of architecture and landscape architecture firms. (Then vote for your favorite!) Now in its fifth year, the Gingerbread House Design Competition is a fun and tasty way to highlight the delicious talents of Boston landscape and architecture firms. While challenging designers to explore a new medium, this sweet event also raises funds for community design programs of the BSA Foundation.
BSA Space is at 290 Congress Street, Suite 200
A jaunt across the Fort Point Channel bridges (on Summer Street and Congress Street) gives a glorious view of the Boston Harbor, the city’s skyline, and Claudia Ravaschiere and Michael Moss’s fluorescent and jewel toned plexiglass work Shimmer activates the Congress Street Bridge spanning Fort Point Channel and changes the public perception of a familiar urban environment. The work was comissioned by FPAC.
Need an excuse to warm up? We understand. The noted (and ICA staff fave) Flour Bakery is right around the corner and offers just the thing, their award-winning “fiery hot chocolate.” Rich chocolate with a pinch of chile powder and cayenne pepper makes for the perfect mix of sweet and spicy. Plus daily specials and irresistable treats are always available if you’ve worked up an appetite. (Cinnamon cream brioche, apple snacking spice cake, ginger molasses cookies, the list goes on…)
Flour Bakery is located off Congress at 12 Farnsworth Street
Impeccable espresso more up your alley? Barrington Coffee Roasting Company is less than a block away and at your service. Their menu is simple, their coffee is prepared fresh each day, their beans are sustainable, and the quality is incomparable.
Barrington Coffee Roasting Company is located at 346 Congress Street
A foolproof spot to find last-minute gifts – or reward yourself for making it through 2016 – Made in Fort Point provides art and crafts by local artists. Offerings range from paintings and ceramics to jewelry and clothing, all made hyper-locally in the Fort Point neighborhood. Nothing like guiltless gifting.
Made in Fort Point is located at 315 A Street. The store is run primarily by volunteers, so hours may vary.
Of course no Seaport stroll is complete without a trip to the ICA/Boston. Whether you’re trying to work off those wintry treats, get your holiday shop on, entertain the family, or opt for art – stick with us this season:
Holiday Vacation Week Programs – Explore the galleries and create art together in the Bank of America Art Lab with art-making activities for visitors of all ages, children and adults, to enjoy. Pop-up art investigations related to works on view will also be offered on select afternoons.
Tue, Dec 27–Fri, Dec 30 | 10 AM–4 PM
First Light: A Decade of Collecting at the ICA – 10 years of collecting. 5 curators. More than 100 works. The ICA’s most ambitious collection exhibtion is now on view. Discover the work of Louise Bourgeois, Paul Chan, Shepard Fairey, Cornelia Park, Kara Walker, Andy Warhol, and more.Through Jan 16, 2017
The Artist’s Museum – Check out the ICA’s newest exhibtion, The Artist’s Museum. How do artists work with other artists’ work? Come find out. Through Mar 26, 2017
Material Matters – See how contemporary artists transform our experience of found and everyday materials with a knowledgable tour guide. OR explore on our own terms with our new Mobile Guide. Thursdays at 6 PM, Saturdays and Sundays at 1 PM
And of course, be sure to the waterfront view from the John Hancock Founders Gallery while you’re here!
The ICA/Boston is located at 25 Harbor Shore Drive
Before you leave the ICA, don’t forget to visit the ICA Store for the perfect present or accessory you never knew you desperately need: we’re talking special products designed in collaboration with ICA exhibited artists, the best selection of art and photography books in New England, and home items intended to improve – and beautify! –everyday living. Bring the delights of contemporary art home. Admission is not required to shop at the ICA store. But, proceeds from the ICA store DO support the ICA’s exhibitions and programs. Give back while you give!
Explore the ICA store within the ICA at 25 Harbor Shore Drive.
There are too many incredible restaurants in the area for us to recommend just one. Here are a few of our favorites for a mid-walk meal, whether you’re looking for a feast, snack, or something simple.
Pastoral: Stunningly good artisanal pizza in a lovely setting (or to take out).
Pastoral is located at 345 Congress Street
Shake Shack: Something delicious for everyone – even your pickiest eaters. We’re partial to the classic ShackBurger with fries. Pro tip: Get the Seaport Salt & Malt concrete, made with dark chocolate chunks from Taza.
Shake Shack is located at 77 Seaport Blvd
Yo! Sushi: Brand new to the neighborhood, this is conveyor belt sushi at its finest, with both hot and cold offerings. Try one of everything.
Yo! Sushi is located at 79 Seaport Blvd
Legal Harborside: A spectacular view of the harbor with three floors of dining that each offer a different menu. (Psst…the 3rd floor has sushi, a fireplace, and a fully enclosed glass-walled space.)
Legal Harborside can be found at 270 Northern Avenue
Row 34: Oysters. Beer. Repeat. You’ll be tempted not to stray from the raw bar, but the entire menu is top-notch.
Row 34 lives at 383 Congress Street
Blue State: Perfect for a quick bite (think sandwiches, scones + soups) AND they donate a percentage of sales to local nonprofits.
Blue State is located at 155 Seaport Boulevard
The Barking Crab: You might know it only from the summer outdoor party scene, but the Crab also has a cozy indoor section that feels like an escape in wintertime. Sit by the wood-burning oven and sip on a seasonal brew.
The Barking Crab is located at 88 Sleeper Street
Cornelia Parker, Hanging Fire (Suspected Arson), (detail) 1999. Charcoal, wire, pins, and nails, 144 × 60 × 72 inches (365.8 × 152.4 × 182.9 cm), Gift of Barbara Lee, The Barbara Lee Collection of Art by Women. Photo by Charles Mayer Photography. © 2016 Cornelia Parker
Ragnar Kjartansson, The Man, 2010. Single-channel video (color, sound; 49:00 minutes). Gift of Graham and Ann Gund to The Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, and Gund Gallery at Kenyon College. Courtesy the artist, Luhring Augustine, New York, and i8 Gallery, Reykjavík. © Ragnar Kjartansson
Photo by Natasha Moustache
Ellen Gallagher, DeLuxe, 2004-2005. Photogravure, etching, aquatint, and drypoints with lithography, screenprint, embossing, tattoo-machine engraving, laser cutting, and chine collé; and additions of Plasticine, paper collage, enamel, varnish, gouache, pencil, oil, polymer, watercolor, pomade, velvet, glitter, crystals, foil paper, gold leaf, toy eyeballs, and imitation ice cubes, Sixty parts, each: 13 1/2 × 10 1/2 in. (34.3 × 26.7 cm), Overall: 84 × 176 in. (213.4 × 447 cm). Gift of Barbara Lee, The Barbara Lee Collection of Art by Women. Courtesy Hauser & Wirth and Gagosian. © Ellen Gallagher and Two Palms Press
Françoise Grossen, Inchworm, 1971. Industrial cotton piping cord, approximately 2 x 20 x 13 feet (61 x 609.8 x 396.3 cm). Gift of the artist, in honor of Jenelle Porter. Photo by Charles Mayer Photography. © 2016 Françoise Grossen
Doris Salcedo, Atrabiliarios, 1996. Drywall, shoes, cow bladder, and surgical thread, 47 x 83 1/16 inches (119.4 x 211 cm). Gift of Barbara Lee, The Barbara Lee Collection of Art by Women. Courtesy Alexander and Bonin. © Doris Salcedo
Anne Collier, Open Book #3 (Island Wilderness), from the series Open Book, 2010. Chromogenic color print, 47 1/4 × 62 1/8 inches (120 × 157.8 cm). Gift of Fotene Demoulas and Tom Coté. Courtesy the artist and Anton Kern Gallery. © Anne Collier
Installation view, First Light: A Decade of Collecting at the ICA, The Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston, 2016-17. Photo by Charles Mayer Photography.
Mona Hatoum, Pin Rug, 1998-99, Stainless steel pins, canvas, and glue, 1 3/8 x 47 13/16 x 73 5/8 inches (3.5 x 121.5 x 187 cm). Gift of Barbara Lee, The Barbara Lee Collection of Art by Women. Courtesy Alexander and Bonin and White Cube. Photo by Orcutt & Van Der Putten. © Mona Hatoum
Paul Chan, 1st Light, 2005. Projected digital animation (color, silent; 14:00 minutes). Gift of Kimberly and James Pallotta. Courtesy the artist and Greene Naftali. Photo by Jean Vong. © Paul Chan
Louise Bourgeois, Cell (Hands and Mirror), 1995. Marble, metal, and mirror, 63 x 48 x 45 inches (160 x 121.9 x 114.3 cm). Gift of Barbara Lee, The Barbara Lee Collection of Art by Women. Photo by Charles Mayer Photography. © The Easton Foundation/Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY
This Saturday at Community Day we asked you to show some love for your favorite work in First Light: A Decade of Collecting at the ICA with Hearts for Art, and the results are in! Here are your top 11 favorite works (there was a tie for 10th!), with Cornelia Parker’s Hanging Fire (Suspected Arson) taking the lead by almost 100 votes!
The best part? You can come and visit them for a few more weeks! First Light will be on view through Jan 16, 2017.
(Also snagging some sneaky votes were the view from the John Hancock Founders Gallery, Gillian Wearing’s Rock ‘n’ Roll 70, and several works on view in The Artist’s Museum.)
Miss the fun? Share your favorite work in our collection at @icainboston on Twitter or @icaboston on Instagram! Explore the collection virtually here.