Tropical Fort Point  •  A temporary art installation in Boston’s Fort Point Channel  •  2014

Climate change is among the most pressing issues we face, and was the inspiration for this piece, which imagined the impacts of sea level rise and the northern march of climate zones—a tongue-in-cheek preview of tropical flora moving into temperate New England and the cityscape awash in sea water. The installation was a big hit, garnering praise from Boston Magazine—"a local visionary"—and included in Food & Wine's list "7 Powerful Pieces of Public Art You Should See Right Now." The 4x4 grid of 10'-tall Majesty Palms was moored to allow the plants to rise and fall with Boston's 10' tides, and the spaces between were quickly adopted by the dragon boat crews training in Fort Point Channel as ad hoc racing lanes.

Tropical Fort Point was made possible through the generous support of Friends of Fort Point Channel, a nonprofit organization committed to making the Fort Point Channel an exciting and welcoming destination for all of Boston’s residents, workforce and visitors. Friends of Fort Point Channel has partnered with The Fort Point Arts Community since 2005 to activate the Fort Point Channel with temporary displays of public art.

Additional support for Tropical Fort Point was provided by a grant from the Fort Point Channel Operations Board with funds from the Chapter 91 Waterways Regulations License #11419 for Russia Wharf, now Atlantic Wharf. The Fort Point Channel Operations Board is made up of representatives from the City of Boston, the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, and the Fort Point Channel Abutters Group, who oversee the implementation of public benefits required from private development along the Fort Point Channel.

[First 2 photos by Sylvia Stagg-Giuliano. Last 4 photos by Penny Fekany.]