The Gallery

The pinkcomma gallery opened at a time of shifting design sensibilities in Boston. No longer exclusively clad in brick, a few recent institutional buildings in the city indicate an acceptance of fresh and adventurous architecture—reminiscent of the late modernist period when Boston’s new structures were a part of the international vanguard. Yet the work produced in the local establishment is often far from inventive or original. This gallery aims to foster and recognize a more creative and experimental scene that has grown out of one of the world’s most significant capitals of architectural education. For all the city’s stodginess, Boston’s six architecture schools and their instructors have unleashed some of the most provocative figures on the world scene. Why hasn’t this culture permeated the city’s own architectural sense of itself?

It seems clear to us that such a culture is on the rise, yet continues to need independent venues to foster its growth. pinkcomma showcases Boston’s new architectural underground—in a space that is literally and windowlessly subterranean. We hope to encourage broader popular support for this underground sensibility. At the same time, pinkcomma is a place for the exchange and expansion of ideas within Boston’s larger design scene, not just in terms of architecture, but also in the disciplines of landscape, graphics, urbanism, interiors, and industrial design, among many other fields.

pinkcomma strives to make design more pivotal in the city’s political and cultural discourses. The gallery’s role is often activist in nature, promoting works that may be at times politically unpalatable or financially untenable, unpopular or unacknowledged. The gallery highlights innovative thinkers of diverse interests who call Boston home. Their works offer us a window into the city’s design underground.

Mark Pasnik and Chris Grimley, Directors

pinkcomma is a division of over,under.

Previous Exhibitions

“Rethinking Boston City Hall,” September 2007; “Prints Charming,” December 2007; “Urban Housing Atlas,” February 2008 (pinkcomma books); “Parti Wall, Hanging Green,” May 2008; “Close Encounters,” October 2008; “Rock Paper Scissors,” December 2008; “Public Works: Unsolicited Small Projects for the Big Dig,” February 2009; “A Few Zines: Dispatches from the Edge of Architectural Production,” March 2009; “Concrete Toronto,” May 2009; Double Feature: "Heroic” and “Publishing Practices,” September 2009; “Welcome Hometta,” October 2009; "Big Print, Lil Print," December 2009; "Design Biennial Boston," April 2010.

Current

PINKCOMMA IS MOVING!

After three years in its subterranean space on Wareham Street, the pinkcomma gallery has moved to 46 Waltham Street, Courtyard 1. The gallery will host an expanded exhibition of the Heroic Project's research from the last year on September 24 as its opening event in the new location. Join our mailing list for announcements on fall events.

Design Biennial Boston: The Book

The pinkcomma gallery hosted the Design Biennial Boston 2010, which included the work of five firms: Dan Hisel Architect; Murphy & Ceruzzi Projects; William O'Brien Jr.; Schneider Studio; and Touloukian Touloukian. The winners were chosen by a jury of designers and architects, including Stefane Barbeau (Vessel), Beate Becker (DIGMA), Eric Höweler (Höweler + Yoon Architecture), Fritz Klaetke (Visual Dialogue), Amanda Reeser Lawrence (Praxis), and Beth Whittaker (MERGE Architects). A 76-page publication (4 x 6 inches) of the work of all five firms is for sale for $12.00 per copy plus $2.00 shipping. Either use the Paypal link below, or send a check made out to pinkcomma gallery and include your return address. Or come by the gallery and purchase one. Proceeds from the book sales support future gallery activities.

The Heroic Project

The pinkcomma curatorial team is continuing its research into Boston's modernist heritage, building on the exhibition "Heroic" from September 2009. The gallery is preparing a book documenting Boston's concrete buildings designed and built during the period 1957-1976. Visit the "Heroic" website for more information on the project, including essays and project sheets from the exhibition.

News

Chris Grimley and Mark Pasnik will join Praxis editors Amanda Reeser Lawrence and Ashley Schafer as part of MIT's BOS lecture series. The discussion, entitled "On Curating," will occur on September 17 at 6:30pm in Room 7-431.

Andrea Leers published a review of the Design Biennial Boston 2010 in the fall issue of ArchitectureBoston.

Michael Kubo and Mark Pasnik presented the work of the gallery at PechaKucha 18.

The "Heroic" curators published an essay in the April 2010 issue of Architect Magazine commenting on the value of the buildings from the exhibition.

Gallery curators Michael Kubo and Chris Grimley are featured in the Spring 2010 issue Boston Home, highlighting the Next Generation of design in the city.

"In praise of ugly buildings" by Sarah Schweitzer appeared in the January 24 issue of the Boston Globe, covering the content of the "Heroic" exhibition.

Architecture critic Robert Campbell wrote his January 3, 2010 column in the Boston Globe on the "Heroic" exhibition.

The gallery and over,under were profiled in the December 2009/January 2010 issue of Art New England.

Issue 22 of the journal Volume includes the "Publishing Practices" research and graphics by Michael Kubo and Chris Grimley, first created and exhibited at pinkcomma in September 2009.

The gallery and "Welcome Hometta" were the subjects of a Dwell blog entry entitled "Pinkcomma Gallery Welcomes Hometta" in November 2009. "Welcome Hometta" was also profiled in a Boston Globe article entitled "McMansions, be gone" in October 2009.

The Double Feature "Heroic" and "Publishing Practices" appeared in the Architect's Newspaper blog in October 2009.

In October 2009, "Publishing Practices" was reviewed on the Dwell blog website and ArchDaily presented an interview with guest curator Michael Kubo.

Historian and author Douglass Shand-Tucci's September 2009 blog on the Back Bay Historical website focused on the topic "I M Pei's Noble Boston" in conjunction with pinkcomma's "Heroic" exhibition.

The pinkcomma gallery was selected as the readers' pick for best art gallery by the Weekly Dig as part of its 2008 Dig This Awards.

The pinkcomma gallery appears in the March and April 2008 issues of The Architect and the May issue of Architectural Record.