inPUBLIC 2022 Summer Series: Photo Gallery

A smiling person with short hair and chunky earrings

inPUBLIC 2022, a public art intervention anchored in spatial justice, unfolded as a summer series. The series was created to nurture atmospheres which allow all of us to play, connect, dance and be in public space. The series culminated in a three-day art festival centered around the theme of PLAY. The events were curated by a multi-racial team of local artists with the intentions of centering joy and creative expressions of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in the heart of Downtown Boston in partnership with the Design Studio for Social Intervention, NEFA and the Downtown Boston BID.

The photo gallery (below) reflects the experiences from each event over the series. For everyone who couldn’t be there, we hope this gallery is a glimpse of the moments, expressions, and atmospheres created. For those of you who made it, we hope you re-experience the joy we created collectively!

InPUBLIC: ALL Our Relations: A Family Reunion Celebrating Juneteenth (June 17)

This event was an invitation for Boston to come together to play, connect, dance and BE together in public again. Photo credit: all images by Stefanie Belnavis.

In a city street, a group of Black women, in black and white jersey sweatshirts and denim shorts, dance.

On a black and white checkerboard ground, a man speaks into a mic while another man stands behind a DJ booth on wheels.

At a table, a white woman, in a face mask, and a Black man, in a blue t-shirt, play a game.

On a city street, three Black kids jump rope.

Folks dance in front of stone steps to nowhere.

In a circle of folks, a young Black boy dances on top of a black and white checker board ground.

In a circle of folks, a young Black boy does a hand stand on top of a black and white checker board ground.

A white woman, with red hair, uses a bubble wand.

A Black person, in a black vest and red baseball cap, dances.

A light-skinned man and a dark-skinned person dance together on top of a checkerboard ground.

On a checkerboard ground, a group of folks of color dance.

Folks watch as a light-skinned person and dark-skinned person dance together. Motion blur. They're really throwing it down.

In a circle of folks, a Black man dances on top of a black and white checker board ground.

A white woman and a Black woman mirror each other's dance moves, while a crowd looks on.

A redheaded white woman dances with Black women in black outfits.

Two Black folks, one in sunglasses and another in a black baseball cap, pose together while sitting on stone steps.

A white woman, in an olive dress, hula hoops.

A light-skinned man and a dark-skinned man pose together with a DJ booth on wheels.

On a city street, four Black women dance together.

Five folks sit on stone steps to nowhere, eat ice cream, and smile.

Folks stand around tables with board games on them.

A white woman poses with a man inside an Ice Cream Truck.

Two Asian folks and a white man play scrabble.

An Asian woman and a white woman with red hair, both in glasses, pose together.

A young boy, of color, holds games up in the air, while an older woman of color looks on.

inPUBLIC: Black Love, A Jam Session (July 14) was hosted by Black Cotton Club

The public was invited to share poems, stories, songs, affirmations and more on the topic of love within black bodies.Photo credit: all images by Stefanie Belnavis.

A crowd of Black folks sit together on stone steps covered with blankets.

Three women snap their fingers and smile.

Two Black women hug each other hello. One has a tall bun of braids.

A Black man, in a blue shirt, speaks in a microphone, while two Black women stand beside him.

On a city street, five members of a band pose with their instruments and microphones.

Four women pose together, while snapping and swaying.

A Black man, with gold glasses and a black bandana on his head, speaks into a microphone while others smile at him.

On a city street, three folks sing into microphones and look at one another.

Two folks with long dreads smile and pose together.

A Black man smiles, has a facemask around his chin, and wears a tank top with a brightly colored print of birds and circles.

On stone steps, four folks sway and snap.

A young Black girl smiles. Behind her, a crowd of folks watch something while all sitting on stone steps.

Two Black folks, with gold framed glasses, sing into microphones. A female singer has big red and black braids.

A young Black man, in a backwards baseball cap and flroal shirt, holds a microphone.

A Black man and woman look at the backside of a digital camera together and smile.

On a city street, two Black women sit on a couch together and chat.

Two folks, one in a dress with a purse and the other in one-legged pants and a spaghetti strapped shit, smile.

Two Black women poses with a Black toddler. One holds her chest and sings.

inPUBLIC: Wild Rumpus (August 11-13)

A three-day Festival invited publics to experience play in public space through movement, dance, rest, creation, games, and music. Photo Credit: all images by Nohemi Rodriguez.

Young Asian boys sit at a table and make crafts.

An Asian woman poses with a corded phone in front of a backdrop that reads: "What happens to your spirit when you play?"

A man of color wears a red boa and dances.

A Black woman bounces and throws her hands up.

A Brown man holds the hands of an elderly white man while they dance.

On a city street, two Black girls dance together. One wears a short dress with leopard print and the other wears a tank and ripped denim.

On a city street, four folks pose with a flier on a blue couch.

Two folks read the "What happens to your spirit when you Play?" Sign.

A young Black girl and an older Black woman pose together on steps. They snuggle and hold their hands to their chests.

A Black person applies makeup in a mirror.

A group of Black folks play double dutch.

A multi-colored, chorded phone sits on a table in front of a sign that reads "pick up the phone and listen."

Three folks, with masks on their face or around their arms, play a board game together.

A white woman and a Black man, with long braids, hold yarn together.

A Black woman, in a head wrap and bright red and yellow dress, smiles.

Two folks laugh together. One wears a big tan fedora. The other wears sunglasses.

Confetti, in front of a blurred city street.

A Black drag queen, with a big afro and tuxedo body suit, leads a group in a dance.

A young light-skinned girl holds confetti and wears rainbow eye shadow.

Two kids play oversized checkers on the street.

A woman adds a sketch to a wall of illustrations.

Nine folks pose together in front of a big clock and a wall of illustrations.

On stone steps, folks stretch with their arms to the sky and one knee bent.

A white lady uses a bubble wand to create a huge bubble.

A Black woman drags short poles along bowls to create soft sounds.

At the base of stone steps, a woman crosses her legs and closes her eyes to the sky.

Four Black elders sit together and chat with their hands.

Two young, Black folks lean their heads against each other and smile.

Photographers Bios

Stefanie Belnavis

Stefanie is the Founder + Portrait Photographer behind The Diahann Project (TDP) + The Diahann Project Births (TDPBirths). Both portrait photography-based collaboratives are centered around liberating the intersectional visual stills + stories of BIPOC folks.

Stephanie is a Black woman with a short bleach blonde hair and a nose ring. She holds her hands together over her chest. — self portrait of Stephanie Belnavis

Nohemi Rodriguez

Nohemi is a Chicana Artist from Houston, TX. She creates images that explore human connectivity through environmental portraiture. She holds a BA and MA in Education and has completed a thesis on collaborative art making with adolescents of the Amani community. Her continued work with community engagement informs her approach to image making and facilitation. She is currently a visiting student at the Massachusetts College of Art & Design.