The Neighborhood Is Changing

During one of my recent morning walks I caught sight of a series of chalk drawings on the sidewalk of Massachusetts Avenue just around the corner from where I live.  Here is an example.

Sidewalk chalk drawing of a water buffalo 

It reminded me of this.

The Real Thing 

These water buffalo are in Veranasi, India. They are on their way to the Ganges, that spot of white in the middle of the picture. Frankly, I prefer the chalk variety. Still the juxtaposition is provocative.

Is this how the neighborhood is going to change? Will we be “assaulted” by guerilla art? I certainly hope so. I rather liked seeing one chalk buffalo after another trot up Mass. Ave. between the Harvard Law School and Porter Square. Someone, probably not the same person, has stenciled the side of the Korean United Church of Christ.

Guerilla Art on the Korean United Church of Christ

It reminded me, of course, of the famous painting by Magritte.

Painting by Rene Magritte

All this activity is, I strongly suspect, the result of Lesley University buying the Art Institute of Boston and moving it to the corner of Roseland and Mass. Ave where the former Korean church will be re-incarnated as a part of the Lunder Art Center, named after the enterprise’s benefactor. That’s the church on the right, decked out in a new steeple courtesy of Lesley.

Artist's Sketch of Lunder Art Center

Someone has taken seriously the idea of a temple of art.  In its new incarnation the 165 year old church will be a library. I hope I can get a card.

A Banksy Assault

Well, the neighborhood is changing. But I must say I like the direction. I wish I could join in. I’m not that much of an artist. If I were, you’d see stuffed monkeys hanging from trees and papier mache workmen popping up from under manhole covers.

My hope is that with the new Lunder Center rising in the near future, Banksy won’t be far behind.