The last thing I want to do on a summer Friday afternoon in Boston is stay inside, which is how I ended up battling through city traffic in a car without AC on a 90° day to get to the Griffin Museum of Photography. I dipped inside to grab a map of the Photoville x Winchester exhibition before the building closed. Then I headed back into the heat to wander through the public art installation, which starts right outside the museum and winds through the community on some truly scenic walking paths.
Despite loving art, I have occasionally had more complicated feelings when it comes to museums, which can feel overly sterilize or academic, leaving me craning awkwardly over others’ shoulders to read brief and vague descriptions or feeling like I’m trying to have a spiritual experience in a dentist’s office.
Photoville’s Fence, by contrast, is both a literal and metaphorical breath of fresh air. Photoville, a photography organization that partners with cultural and civic organizations to create exhibitions in 11 host cities, feels as much about the community and nature it’s engaging with as the art it showcases.
The Winchester exhibition, which runs through Sept. 9, features art printed on 10’ by 10’ cubes, and feels too large to be contained by walls. As many of the cubes are focused on the environment and climate change, it felt especially fitting to be experiencing them outside, next to a lake and surrounded by the sounds of birds, church bells, and the occasional Amtrak or T train.
I wandered between them and patiently waited for bunnies to hop away so I could approach different signs (not a narrative embellishment).
I was immediately struck by what a good curation of artists and images had been assembled. Internationally acclaimed and award-winning photographers rubbed shoulders with local artists, including two cubes near the museum which showcased the work of the 2023 Winchester High School Network for Social Justice Student Interns.
Photographer Camille Seaman’s photographs of Antarctic glaciers sat beside town of Winchester’s high school student Maddie Syed’s images of trash build-up around Winchester and easily drew them into conversation. The text on each cube was interesting and informative about both the art and the issues they addressed, making the exhibition feel accessible without being watered down, including quotes from artists, literature, subjects, and editors.
As I walked around the lake I bumped into several more cubes, including one titled “Sustainable Solutions to the Climate Crisis,” showcasing National Geographic photographer Ami Vitale. My favorite section of the cube (and not just because it was in the shade) was nestled right by the river and titled “Nature’s Nurtures.” Curated by Elizabeth Krist and Sarah Leen of the Visual Thinking Collective, it curated the work of 12 photographers who have documented how nature inspires and sustains them.
Finally, and closing my loop, was a wall titled “Photosynthesis XVIII,” which showcases local student artwork, and Winchester’s “Our Town,” a community exhibition featuring local photographers.
Thankfully I had my hard-earned map, because without other signage it was not always obvious where the next cubes in the exhibit would be. Although the serendipity of discovery led to a treasure hunt feel, I did constantly worry that I was missing something.
Only later, looking again at my brochure, did I realize that I had missed the chance to look at some of the banners hanging around town, some sidewalk art, and an AR exhibition.
While hunting for a caption on one cube I also discovered a QR code almost hidden in the grass. I squatted down to scan it and it took me to a SoundCloud curated by The Winchester Community Music School to accompany the experience. The music was a welcome addition; I played it on my phone while walking around for a while before ultimately putting it away, having come unprepared without headphones.I would have liked to have read more about why they chose the tracks they chose, how the music related to the photography, and more about who was performing.
In a world where many of us spend our time buried in the tiny boxes of our screens, flicking through photo after photo with little pause or reflection, it’s gratifying, redeeming, and encouraging to see photographs taking all of the gravity they deserve, making the voices of both the global and local community life-size.
What’s next at this venue: The Photoville x Winchester exhibit continues through Sept. 8; details here.
Where I’m going next:
