Holy Cross’ Amy Archambault Sets Things “inMotion” with Boston Arts Residency

Boston Center for the Arts (BCA) Summer 2015 Public Art Resident. Her ten-week long residency started on June 1 and her exhibit will be on display July 23 until Oct. 18. The program showcases Archambault’s large-scale art installation titled “inMotion: Memories of Invented Play” and is featured on the BCA Plaza located at 539 Tremont St. in Boston.

The four-section interactive structure fabricated from construction materials, athletic equipment and bicycles furnished by Landry’s Bicycles of Boston, Slaughterhouse Bikes and Pike Powdercoating, allows participants to engage in the ubiquitous learned activity of riding a bike. The piece offers individuals a unique place to reminisce about their childhood memories of play. The artwork has opportunities for all to enjoy including a pedaling apparatus; cycling stations; and wheel turning mechanisms that feature playing cards and spoke beads that generate natural sounds.

Archambault has created a safe, interactive, and visually appealing installation that encourages group exercise and creates an avenue for participants to use their imagination and memory and experience the relationship between design, functionality, and play.

“This summer has rolled out exciting opportunities for me to unveil my work to the public in visually rich sites and a in a manner that encourages participation,” says Archambault . “Throughout the installation of ‘inMotion,’ it has been gratifying to experience a diverse public’s positive and energetic reactions to the work.” People love “play” explains Archambault. “I look forward to seeing participants visually fuse with and physically activate the structure; its lines, textures, colors and form.”

It has been a busy summer for the artist; Archambault’s work is also currently being featured as part of the “Isles Arts Initiative”. The exhibit “Cove” which is on display until Aug. 26 features dynamic, contemporary artwork showcased in the historic Fort Warren. Archambault’s piece is a sculpture representative of a catamaran comprised of dormitory furniture and additional living accessories. Her creation is inspired by the accounts of the prisoners that were once housed on the island and tales of their creative escape attempts.

Archambault received her M.F.A. from the University of Pennsylvania in 2011 and was awarded the Christopher Leland Lyon Memorial Scholarship from the University. She received her B.A. in studio art and psychology from Holy Cross in 2008 and was recently featured in a group exhibition of alumnae artists at the Cantor Art Gallery at the College. Archambault is the recipient of the 2013 Massachusetts Cultural Council Artist Fellowship Grant for sculpture and installation and is a member of the Boston Sculptors Gallery. Her work “Futile Ascent” was recently featured in a group exhibition at GRIN Providence. Archambault was featured in Pulse Magazine for its “Up & Coming Local Artists” feature in Central Massachusetts (April 2012).

At the College, she is currently teaching foundations of drawing. Archambault creates her art in her studio located in Lowell, Mass. For more information about the artist you can visit www.amyarchambault.com.

Media Coverage Boston Globe, July 26: Public art project channels Boston’s cycling culture