Celebrating the public art and socially engaged practices of artists Lan Tuazon and crystal bi, both of which have participated in projects with the Boston Public Art Triennial this past year, this panel discussion will focus on their complimentary approaches to community building, public intervention in social spaces, and a critical conversation about the state of public contemporary art and culture.
The conversation featuring artists Lan Tuazon and crystal bi will be moderated by Director of Arts on the Point Sam Toabe and Associate Professor John Tyson.
After the speaking program, we will move to the University Hall Gallery for a closing reception of thousands of horizons, endlessly returning from 4-7pm.
This program comes at the end of the run of crystal bi's solo-exhibition at the University Hall Gallery, thousands of horizons, endlessly returning, which focuses on their Triennial Public Art Accelerator project perfect memory.
It also celebrates the end of the second semester of the presentation of Lan Tuazon's Boston Public Art Triennial installation Matters of Consequence, currently on view through March 14th, 2027.
About Matters of Consequence by Lan Tuazon:
To help envision what happens when we bring private reflection into public space, artist Lan Tuazon presents Matters of Consequence (2025), a participatory public artwork installed in the University Hall Atrium at the University of Massachusetts Boston through March 2027. Matters of Consequence is presented by Arts on the Point at the University of Massachusetts Boston and is proudly supported by the Boston Public Art Triennial.
Located within the university’s bustling University Hall atrium, Matters of Consequence asks visitors how art can help us think about our shared survival, environment, and care for one another. Inspired by a 15th-century painting of a studiolo—a room that functions as both a private study and a public studio—Tuazon reimagines the University Hall Atrium as a place for the UMass Boston community to gather for events, learning, and exchange.
Read more here: https://www.thetriennial.org/lan-tuazon
About perfect memory by crystal bi:
perfect memory is a public art installation on the ocean of Dorchester Bay by Boston-based artist crystal bi, produced during their participation in the Triennial’s Public Art Accelerator program, and complimented by a wide ranging set of public programs and an extended solo-exhibition at the University Hall Gallery. Inspired by Toni Morrison’s resonant quote, that “all water has perfect memory,” bi has created a sculpture and series of public engagements that invite viewers to, in their words, “give gratitude to those that have dreamed us here and explore our own dreams for the future.”
The sculpture is now installed in the University Hall Gallery, suspended from the ceiling, and featured as the anchor point of a solo-exhibition by bi curated by our Gallery Director Sam Toabe. The exhibition, entitled thousands of horizons, endlessly returning, documents and celebrates the sculpture, its creation, launching, floating, and activation of the project, on view from 9.21.26 – 12.12.26. Alongside the sculpture are interactive elements, ephemera, photography, video, and public programs.
email us at UHGallery@umb.edu for more information