ClipArt Gallery at Clippership Wharf in East Boston mirrors the contemporary future-forward intentions of the complex, hosting art exhibitions in an open and airy space. The combination of pristine walls and brick work allows a partnership of textural variety. Found within the greater community of apartment buildings and retail establishments situated in a coveted spot on the waterfront, the gallery is available to both residents and the public, the latter invited in limited hours. The complex also hosts two outdoor public sculptures, meant to incorporate into the design of the grounds as well as the view of the harbor.
The ClipArt space is managed by the long existing Atlantic Works Gallery in East Boston, with members curating exhibitions on a rotating basis. When artist and curator Dominick Takis learned of his upcoming opportunity to curate, he immediately thought of artist Erica Licea-Kane. Not coincidentally, their works share some similarities — layering, process, detail and texture abound in both artists’ works. When Licea-Kane was director of the gallery at Wheelock College years ago, she saw Takis’ work and included it in a two-person exhibition. Thus began a long-standing artistic comradeship that has come full circle.
In this expansive gallery, abounding with comfortable seating and soft, yet prominent lighting, Licea-Kane provides a timeline for the evolution of her work since 1999. She considers the exhibition as an opportunity to take a good look at her older work and observe how it has informed her present process.