North Adams Arts Commission OKs 'Hatchlings' Installations for Downtown
Vanessa Hooper of Studio HHH gives a presentation on the light structures to the Public Arts Commission on Thursday.
The Public Arts Commission last week enthusiastically approved a proposal by Studio HHH to set up the "Hatchlings," six lighted half shells, at points around the downtown.
The studio has offices in Greylock Works, where the Hatchlings were built. The half shells are a metal framework strung with LED lights that can be programmed. Two are solar-powered and the others require electricity.
"They really just generally attract a lot of attention and people wanting to come ... they just sort of flock to it and want to take photos," said Vanessa Hooper, director of Studio HHH.
She gave a presentation on their construction and showed pictures of people interacting with them during their time in Boston.
"I included these photos because we were actually really surprised that a lot of people come during the day and still like to take photographs in them as they are, this sort of like basket-woven black structure is also just really beautiful, and people love that, too."
They spent a year on the Esplanade, playing off the iconic Hatch Shell, and the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway, until all nine were moved to the Greenway last November.
The hope is that they will be activated with programming and will draw people to the downtown area and that their placement "ignites discussions about the potentials of public spaces in our beloved downtown."
Approval was critical as the structures are being removed in about two weeks and a location was needed, especially for the large 17 1/2-foot wide Hatchling that includes a stage.
Vanessa said moving the piece from its current location directly to the next would save about $2,000 in transportation fees and alleviate the need of trying to find a place that could store it.
The proposal is to place the stage half/shell in the pocket park on Eagle Street with two small ones; two at City Hall and another larger one at Western Gateway Heritage State Park.
There was some concern about vandalism but Hooper said they were very sturdy.
"Yes, vandalism is definitely part of the concern here," she said, but added, "They have been in the public now for a total of eight months, in two seasons, and we have had vandalism, but not as much as I expected."
The initial proposal was to install them from March 7 to May 26 with an option to run through Labor Day Weekend.
"It seems to make sense to have it through the end of spring, and then, you know, potentially, if it does get the kind of foot traffic and attention that we're hoping for, potentially extend through," Hooper said.
The commissioners were on board with keeping them up all summer. They queried about other possible locations, noting the library and Noel Field Athletic Complex as possibilities, and floated the idea of shifting the smaller ones around after the initial launch, and encouraging local businesses to engage with them.
Commissioner Dan Weissbrodt thought First Congregational Church might be interested in hosting one or two and possibly the Berkshire Art Museum.
"I am a big fan of continuing through the entire summer to have something right now lined up, to have a map and draw people out of the museum and into the downtown," he said. "We have to commit to it now, or it doesn't happen."
The locations must be grassy as the structures are held in place by 18-inch anchors, meaning they could not be placed on asphalt.
Hooper said she and Jenny Wright, executive director of the Partnership for North Adams, have already discussed the proposal with the mayor's office and calculated out how the stage half-shell would fit in the pocket park.
The partnership is sponsoring the stage half-shell on Eagle Street but the others will require some fundraising and volunteers to help install them.
"Yay," said Weissbrodt, encouraging his colleagues to OK the project.
The commissioners approved the three specific locations — Eagle Street, City Hall and Heritage Park — and any other city property as well as the option to run through the summer.
In other business, the commission voted Amanda Hartlage as chair and was informed that one of its two vacancies may filled and that someone has indicated interest in the second.
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