yBos 1, a show featuring work by young and emerging Boston artists, opened at UMass Boston’s student-run Harbor Gallery this past Thursday, December 6. The show features work by undergraduate students and recent BFAs. Work by graduate students and MFA-holders was not considered.
Kevin Benisvy, the Harbor Gallery director, said “The idea came out of a lot of conversations that I had with friends of mine who are artists.” Benisvy’s friends explained to him that “there aren’t a lot of opportunities specifically for artists who are … in undergrad and not in graduate school.”
Benisvy chose three jurors, including UMass Boston art history professor Carol Scollins, to decide which of the 73 submissions would be in the final show. Scollins said she was “very impressed.”
“I wish we had a chance to choose more,” she said, “[Unfortunately], some objects we couldn’t include because of size or scale.”
yBos 1 stands for “Young Boston Artists.” The name is a reference to the Young British Artists of the 80s, a group of undergraduate students in London who ran exhibits of their own work out of local warehouses.
Students from schools all over the Boston area were invited to submit work, and MassArt and UMass Lowell undergraduates were included in the show. Although the work was shown at UMass Boston, only one piece was by an actual UMass Boston student.
That student, art major Shana Harden, brought a piece titled “Magazine Promises.” At first her work looks like a long coiled rope hung from the ceiling. Upon closer inspection it becomes clear that the rope is made of human hair.
Harden constructed “Magazine Promises” over the course of six months. She cut her hair and used the trimmings to start the rope. Then, she says, “I added to it from my brush over a six month period of time.”
Scollins was pleased with attendance at yBos 1. “This was a really successful endeavor…I hope this is going to be an advent to more shows just like it.”
“This is a definitely a great turnout. I’m really happy,” Benisvy agreed. “There are a lot of students from other schools here,” he added. Harden also noted that many of the artists in attendance were MassArt graduates.
“It doesn’t matter what school you go to,” said Benisvy. “You’re all Boston artists. I think UMass Boston is a great place to bring people together like that.”
The exhibit will remain in The Harbor Art Gallery until December 20.
