Jewish public art project, 8 Nights, 8 Windows
Boston’s first juried seasonal Jewish public art project, 8 Nights, 8 Windows, will brighten the city’s holiday season with the essence of the Festival of Lights, bringing a fresh understanding of Hanukkah to the entire community for the eight nights of the Jewish holiday, December 6-14, 2015. This innovative public event is sponsored by the New Center for Arts and Culture (NCAC), in partnership with Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston (CJP), and in collaboration with the Boston Jewish Music Festival (BJMF) and the Boston Jewish Film Festival (BJFF). The project is a preview of a new initiative, the Jewish Arts Collaborative, which will be announced in the near future.
The New Center put out a call to artists for works that tell a unique story of miracle, illumination, and innovation. The eight chosen pieces were selected by a jury of notable curators, arts leaders, and arts practitioners. In addition to the artwork, free public events will be hosted at several of the windows throughout the holiday. The art will be on display for the duration of Hanukkah (December 6-14, 2015), in windows throughout the city of Boston:
- Downtown Crossing Roche Bros. (8 Summer St.)
- Pavement Coffee House (44 Gainsborough St.)
- United South End Settlements (566 Columbus Ave.)
- The West End Museum (150 Staniford St.)
- Boomerang’s Special Edition (1407 Washington St.)
- Milk Street Café (50 Milk St.)
- Boston Center for the Arts’ Artist Studio Building (539 Tremont St.)
- Cambridge Trust bank (565 Tremont St.)
A ninth window at Fire & Ice (205 Berkeley St.) will feature 8 Nights, 8 Windows Kids, a stained glass-like community installation created by children, with help from artist Tova Speter. This work is presented in partnership with Temple Israel of Boston and the Families With Young Children program.
“We are so proud to share the beauty of Hanukkah with the community through this first public artistic exploration of the holiday,” said Laura Mandel, the New Center’s Executive Director. “The artists involved in this project are extremely talented, and they are not all Jewish, which underscores the holiday’s deeper universality. We are honored to be able to present their impressive and diverse work as a part of this unique celebration.”
On December 9, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston will host the second annual Hanukkah: The Festival of Lights, a free and open event that attracted over 2,300 people last year. The evening will include candle lighting, a unique Virtual Reality art installation, family friendly art activities, live music, art talks, and more.
For more information regarding the festival, artists, and how you can support the project, visitwww.8nights8windows.com.
