Boston names three women as first artists in residence

By Beth Treffeisen | February 23, 2016, 17:26 EST

A Georgie Friedman work (Photo courtesy of City of Boston)

BOSTON – Three Hub artists from a mix of disciplines will receive $20,000 stipends to work with Boston agencies and civic groups on arts projects as the city’s first artists in residence, Mayor Marty Walsh announced Tuesday.

The awards will fund six months of collaborative work for each of the recipients, L’Merchie Frazier, Georgie Friedman and Shaw Pong Liu. They will each work with a city department and other organizations on “creative approaches that can be incorporated into the work of the city,” Walsh’s office said in a statement about the program, called Boston AIR.

“Boston AIR is just one of the many ways we’re working to invigorate Boston’s cultural scene and support local artists whose innovation and creativity can benefit the people of Boston,” Walsh said in the statement.

Frazier will create When Women Succeed: The Quilted Path, a multi-disciplinary fiber art project. She’ll work with the Office of Women’s Advancement and Office of Recovery Services to increase resources and awareness of women who are covering from substance abuse.

Friedman will focus on Altering The City: Video Landscape, a site-specific installation projecting video of natural elements on to existing architecture. She’ll work with the Neighborhood Development and Parks and Recreation departments.

Shaw Pong will work with the Boston Police Department to prototype ways that music can be used to support healing and dialogue about difficult topics such as gun violence, race and law enforcement practices.

A jury of seven arts professionals as well as MassArt and city representatives chose the winners from 111 submissions, based on the mix of disciplines they represented, evidence of socially engaged work and a connection with the city.

Boston AIR  is largely funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, according to the city.

“Boston AIR is one of the many ways Mayor Walsh has shown his commitment to the arts, within the framework of Boston Creates,” Julie Burros, the city’s chief of arts and culture, said in the statement. “We look forward to continuing to build strong partnerships and cross sector collaborations that will benefit Boston residents in this way.”