School of Visual Arts alum, Luca de Gaetano, and Youth Service America Ambassador, SVA sophomore Taylor Mortell, keep the memory of the heroes of the Boston Marathon alive at
Circle the City Arts Festival
Boston, MA – In response to the tragic violence of the Boston Marathon and the succeeding events the devastating week brought forth, Boston University College of Fine Arts (CFA) School of Visual Arts alum, Luca de Gaetano (MFA ’13) and sophomore Taylor Mortell (BFA ’16), launched Still Running: An Art Marathon for Boston, a Greater Boston community art project aimed at producing works of art in remembrance of the events that took place on April 15, 2013.
A four-part project, Still Running: An Art Marathon for Boston is keeping the memory of the heroes of the Boston Marathon alive on Sunday, July 14, with an open invitation for the community to come together at 808 Gallery to create art in memory of the tragedy.
Still Running: An Art Marathon for Boston
Date and Time: Sunday, July 14, 11am – 4pm
Location: Circle the City Arts Festival (Massachusetts College of Art on Huntington Avenue between Evans Way and St. Alphonsus Street, Boston, MA 02115)
Free and open to the public.
Taylor Mortell, who was recently named Youth Service America Ambassador to Massachusetts, was awarded a $1000 grant by Youth Service America (YSA) for Still Running. As part of the award, Mortell be connected to 50 other civic minded students, on from each state in the U.S., and will travel to Washington DC in the fall of 2013 to collaborate with lobbyists on Capitol Hill and participate in advising sessions and seminars. YSA will also provide Mortell with technical support and publicity on a national level for the project. In the spring of 2013, Mortell will lead a community-based activity for YSA in celebration of the National Day of Service.
“For me personally, art came to me as an intervention during a traumatic accident I had a few years ago,” said Taylor Mortell (BFA ’16). “Ever since, I’ve been trying to find ways to use art to build community, and to let everyone know that on an individual level, contribution matters — because collectively, we can do something great.
“Like many others, I was extremely moved by the incredible acts of kindness put forth by members of our community in the wake of the tragedy,” continued Mortell. “I wanted to do something to help the healing of our community by creating Still Running, this art show for Boston, by Boston.”
“As an Italian student living in Boston since 2008, I have never felt as close this city as after the tragic bombing of the Boston Marathon,” said Luca de Gaetano (MFA ’13), who co-organized Still Running. “Being passionate about my work — which is to make art — and finding myself surrounded by my peer when learning about what happened, awoke an urgent need to respond visually and positively to the tragedy.”
Still Running consists of four parts: (1) Art Marathon events in which participating institutions and artists will come together over different weekends to produce art for the small works exchange and for the traveling exhibition; (2) a Small Works Exchange to encourage donations to charitable organizations supporting those affected by the tragedy; (3) a Final Exhibition of artwork produced by the Greater Boston community to coincide with the 2014 Boston Marathon; and (4) the creation of Mile Markers for next year’s event from artist submissions. In additional, Mortell and de Gaetano will also be hosting an exhibition for Still Running at Mass Art’s Arnheim Gallery from November 11–23.
For more information, to make a submission, or to contribute to Still Running: An Art Marathon for Boston, please visit bostonartsmarathon.com.