The statue above is one of two statues that comprise the Boston Irish Famine Memorial. The sculptures were done by Robert Shure, a graduate of the Boston Museum School of Fine Arts. His work has been featured in several Boston museums and galleries. The two works are in a memorial park on a plaza along the Freedom Trail in Boston, MA.
The one below depicts a ragged and starving Irish family suffering during the Great Famine of 1845-1852. This statue is in sharp contrast to the one above that depicts a family that had emigrated to America representing hope for the future.
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| Internet source: Robert Shure website |
Since then, it's has been labelled as "the most mocked and reviled public sculpture in Boston" by the art critic of The Boston Globe. Maintenance was cut back after Flatley's 2008 death. The Downtown Boston Business Improvement District and a nearby business help to clean the park area. Still, the site has been described in as a "magnet for vagrants and pigeons."
Sadly, as shown, those pigeons are a frequent sight atop the statues. They are fed by compulsive pigeon feeders who frequent the park during daylight hours. Until such feeding is discouraged and prohibited, it's impossible to keep the birds from landing on and fouling the statues. Panhandling also has been cited as a deterrent to keep visitors from stopping in the park.
Given the park’s position along the Freedom Trail, the Downtown Boston Business Improvement District is working to clean it up. The group sees the park as a welcoming and space and plans to add an information kiosk on the plaza.
Maybe changes will be made because the sculptures deserve better.
12 comments:
they are beautiful statues, true art and a sad story, but perfect to remind of a bad time in history... darn pigeons, but they do make cute hats
Don't you love the internet for all its information? Thanks for sharing these statues. I have visited Boston several time and never noticed them. They are rather beautiful testimonies of a terrible period in history.
A joy to visit and learn something new. What would we do without google?
Interesting. I have been to Boston many times, but never noticed them - or maybe just was not in that area.
But pigeons will sit wherever they want - I am reminded of San Marco's square where tourists can disappear under a flock of pigeons.
Very interesting history.
I'm also addicted to online searches.
The two contrasting statues of Hope and Famine are important for the future generation to see. Hope can easily turn into Despair for several reasons, Famine being one of them.
It's interesting to learn the history behind the statues. I hope they can find a way to clean the area up.
I found this really interesting and not dissimilar to situations in my hometown. The pigeons are a pain and the mess they make is awful. It takes many men to clean the mess from some of our valuable statues.
We once owned a house that the pigeons loved. Ah ... memories. :)
either i love to search online about stuff which provokes my curiosity !
thank you for the beautiful sharing
marvelous statues!!!
awesomely made .
i hope that authorities will find the solution to problems caused by bird visits
I think the statues do deserve better.
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