Erin Genia (she/her)
Tuȟmaǧatipi –the Dakota word for beehive– is a sculptural habitat and water source for pollinators created using the Dakota morning star form and built with sustainable materials: clay, natural composites, and driftwood. Situated in the Wildflower Meadow –an undeveloped area of the Greenway that supports many bee species, butterflies and moths– the project honors Indigenous science as well as the key ecological roles of pollinators and plants, who are increasingly threatened by climate change. This sculptural constellation explores how both form and material can support habitat restoration. Tuȟmaǧatipi seeks to build reciprocity with the meadow ecosystem by providing respite to native pollinators right in the middle of the city.
Artist Statement
Erin Genia’s artistic practice merges Dakota cultural imperatives, pure expression, and exploration of materiality with the conceptual. Erin is fluent in multiple modes of expression: sculpture, fiber, sound, performance, digital media, painting, printmaking, jewelry and ceramics. Genia’s work is focused on amplifying the powerful presence of Indigenous peoples on the occupied lands of America to invoke an evolution of thought and practice that is aligned with the cycles of the natural world and the potential of humanity. Genia works in the traditional Dakota material canupa iŋyan/pipestone, and her artistic practice merges Dakota cultural imperatives, pure expression, and exploration of materiality with the conceptual. Erin is a co-founder of Centering Justice: Indigenous Artists’ Perspectives on Public Art, a project of the New England Foundation for the Arts Public Art Team that seeks to disrupt harmful historic narratives and present critical perspectives on the social justice dimensions of public space. In recognition of her work, Erin was named one of the “ARTery 25: artists of color transforming the cultural landscape” by WBUR in 2021.
About the Artist
A Special Thank You to Our Supporters
The Greenway Public Art Program is exclusively funded through grants and private sources, including the generous support of The Barr Foundation, Boston Cultural Council/Reopen Creative Boston Fund administered by the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture, and Goulston & Storrs.
This project was made possible through a collaboration with the City of Boston’s Green Ribbon Commission’s initiative, Action Pact 2022: Ready, Resilient, Reinvented, and co-curated by The Experience Alchemists.
About The Green Ribbon Commission and Action Pact 2022
Launched in 2010, The Green Ribbon Commission (GRC) aims to accelerate the implementation of the City of Boston’s Climate Action Plan by convening, organizing, and enabling leaders from Boston’s key sectors. Action Pact 2022: Ready, Resilient, Reinvented is a GRC initiative that spotlights the topic of climate change through the programs of Boston’s Cultural Institutions. Engaging the cultural fabric of the City of Boston, this coordinated effort is composed of longer-term and singular programs and initiatives including; art exhibitions, installations, panel discussions, film screenings, lectures, children’s programs, workshops, festivals, and more.
