Jamaica Plain resident Matthew Hinçman has been selected by the City for a public art project at the recently renovated Jamaica Plain Branch of the Boston Public Library, according to a press release.
Hinçman is a sculptor and educator whose pieces are generally found in public places. He is best known for two local artworks: Jamaica Pond Bench, the U-shaped bench with two backs, and STILL, an sculpture affixed to an abandoned lamp-post base in Monument Square.
Hinçman is a professor of sculpture at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design and chair of the fine arts 3D program. He currently serves on the board of the Boston-based nonprofit Now+There.
“I am thrilled to be selected to create a new work of art for the Jamaica Plain Branch of the Boston Public Library,” said Hinçman, according to the press release. “I embrace the idea of being ‘local’, and focus much of my energies here in my neighborhood. To have been considered and ultimately awarded this commission is very humbling. I love making work for public spaces that disrupt the order of the everyday, and it is an honor to be working right here in my own backyard.”
The City of Boston released a Request for Proposals (RFP) earlier this year for a public art project to complement the recent $10 million renovation of the Jamaica Plain Branch Library. This was the first project under the new Percent for Art Program, which allocates one percent of the City’s annual capital borrowing budget to the commissioning of public art.
“The recent renovation has allowed the Jamaica Plain Branch to accommodate more visitors, provide better access to resources, and strengthen the surrounding neighborhood, and this project will enhance these efforts,” said Mayor Martin Walsh, according to the press release. “It’s great to see someone who has such a strong understanding of Jamaica Plain’s cultural identity and a proven connection to the larger community take on the project.”
The design and concept for the work has yet to be determined, and will be shaped by a community outreach. The total budget for the project is $200,000, and it is expected to be completed and installed