Chestnut Hill Square Presents Material Trait Public Art Installation in Partnership with New Art Center

Chestnut Hill Square Presents Material Trait

Public Art Installation in Partnership with New Art Center

CHESTNUT HILL, MASSACHUSETTS (September 2022) - Chestnut Hill Square (ChestnutHillSquare.com) has partnered with Newton’s New Art Center to display Material Trait, an abstract sculpture featuring an organic, double helical shape made from a variety of materials. The sculpture, by artist Nicky Howard-Rogers, creates a thought-provoking contrast between the natural world and the man-made materials within it. Material Trait was installed in August and will be available for viewing throughout 2022.

In a broader context Material Trait serves as a meaningful convergence between the outdoor walking pathways and the indoor shopping areas of Chestnut Hill Square. The sculpture’s shape acts as an imaginative guide leading the viewer from the middle of the outdoor space towards the shops on all sides. 

“My work is an exploration of scientific discovery and humanity. I derive meaning from the subtle chemical structures and extensive patterns that make up the world we live in. There is so much that is unseen around all of us, yet artwork is able to blur the lines between science and humanity and allow people to see a new side to the world. The art I create is intended to push fascination among its viewers and drive a dialogue about the nature of our world,” explains artist Nicky Howard-Rogers.

“The New Art Center is thrilled to be working with Chestnut Hill Square to bring this exciting and ambitious site-specific work of temporary public art by Nicky Howard-Rogers to the center. Our mission as a non-profit community art education space is to provide exceptional opportunities for students and enthusiasts of all ages and abilities to make, exhibit, view, think about and talk about art. We believe that public art is instrumental to our goals, and we value New England Development’s commitment to supporting public art at Chestnut Hill Square,” states Emily O’Neil, Executive Director of the New Art Center.

The New Art Center

The New Art Center in Newton is a non-profit community art education space which offers everyone, at all levels of ability, exceptional opportunities to make, exhibit, view, think about and talk about art. Annually, the center offers 450+ classes for adults, teens, and children and enrolls more than 2,500 students from more than 160 zip codes, including school vacation and summer camps. The New Art Center is the only nonprofit, educational venue in Newton solely dedicated to the visual arts. The center’s school vacation and summer programs offer a safe and engaging space for parents and caregivers to send their children. For more information, visit NewArtCenter.org.

Chestnut Hill Square

Chestnut Hill Square is an exciting lifestyle destination on Route 9 in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts that features popular shops such as Massachusetts’ first Serena & Lily, Anthropologie/BHLDN, Free People, Athleta, and more. Dining selections include Seasons 52, The Capital Grille, sweetgreen, Oath Pizza and Starbucks. Wegmans and Wegmans Wine, Liquor & Beer provide customers with the area’s best grocery shopping, while Equinox, Precision Running Lab by Equinox, SoulCycle, and Lunette Optic offer sought-after fitness and health options. Chestnut Hill Square’s Medical Office Building includes Beth Israel Deaconess HealthCare-Chestnut Hill, Beth Israel Lahey Health Urgent Care and eight medical offices. Chestnut Hill Square is a New England Development shopping destination. For more information, visit ChestnutHillSquare.com.

New England Development

For over forty years, New England Development has taken a creative, entrepreneurial approach to real estate development and management - delivering and sustaining successful projects across a wide range of property types. These projects transform complex challenges into preferred locations, generate long-term value to communities, afford compelling opportunities for local and national businesses, and offer sought-after experiences to a wide range of consumers.

The company is acclaimed for creating some of the country's most widely-recognized and successful regional centers, as well as multifaceted developments that combine retail, residential, hotel, and office uses. Outlet centers, high-end and street-front retail, airport retail, golf courses, restaurants, and marinas round out New England Development's robust portfolio. For more information, visit NEDevelopment.com.

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