Underground at Ink Block: Boston's new art park
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Though I'm not typically one for mindlessly scrolling through Instagram, sometimes just browsing can introduce you to cool new places/brands/people you might not have discovered otherwise.
That's exactly what happened last week when I was bored on the train home and just sorta... scrolling-scrolling-scrolling. I stopped on a brightly-colored post by someone I follow locally. The picture was "thumb stopping" street art - and depicted a brand new muraled path by a previously gross highway underpass. A few clicks and searches later, I discovered that the new installation was open and walking distance from downtown! One of my favorite budget-friendly ways to see a new city is to check out the street art, something that existed only in patches in the Boston area. Now we have this swanky new art park, and you need to go see it for yourself!
Underground at Ink Block
The area is an 8-acre urban park tucked under a highway and directly next to the Fort Point Channel. The park connects the South End and South Boston (yes, they're different - welcome to the confusing Northeast) neighborhoods. Though the art may be a big pull, the space also has a dog park, both bike and car parking, and there will be different events and vendors popping up from time to time.
Here's some of what you can expect to see:
In total, Street Theory has curated nine new murals by Cey Adams, Vyal One, Don Rimx, Ewok, Imagine, Hoxxoh, Marka27, Percy Fortini-Wright, Problak, Thy Doan, and Upendo Taylor.
Each piece has its own distinct personality, and all add real vibrancy to a place that was previously quite dreary. Who would've thought that under a highway would be such a fun place to hang out?!
A few logistics:
Open: Underground at Ink Block is 24 hours!
Best time to visit: Depends on what you're looking for. If you seek crowds, weekends are probably best. If you want peace and people-free pictures- stop in during the early morning and typical work-day. Check out their calendar for community events!
Getting there: [via South End] The park is about a 10 minute walk from the Tufts Medical Center stop on the Orange Line. Walk south on Washington crossing the highway. Take a left on Herald Street and keep walking until you reach the end. While waiting for the crosswalk, you should be able to see the first hints of the wild rainbow pathway. Follow that.
[via South Boston] It's about an 8 minute walk from Broadway Red Line Station. Exit the station on Traveler Street, and start walking towards the highway until you see the colors.
A post shared by 《 KatieD 》 (@thebudgetbackpack) on Sep 16, 2017 at 9:32pm PDT
Things nearby:
Coffee & such
Cuppa Coffee
Starbucks
Blackbird Doughnuts
South End Buttery
Food
Fuji at Ink Block
Sweetgreen
Bar Mezzana
Area Four
Whole Foods
Bars
Lion's Tail
JJ Foley's
Coppersmith
Moonshine 152
What cities have you visited that have a great street/public art scene?
If you were to commission an artist to paint a mural representing your life, what would it look like?
Do you know of any other hidden art spots in Boston? Share below!
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