May 13–October 22, 2023
For “From Farm to Craft Table,” mixed-media artist Alexandra Adamo and children from twelve Boston-area community organizations learned about the wonders of wool. Starting their journey at Waltham Fields Community Farm, they built relationships with wool-bearing animals right outside the city. This gave them an appreciation for the sheep wool they used as they worked together to create a community “garden” of felt tendrils and roots, abstract vessels, a paint patchwork quilt, and needle felt sculptures.
These individual components come together in this exhibition to form a vast landscape of blended green wools, dangling root systems, and blossoming seeds—each element representing a child and their hopes for how they’d like to grow in the community they’ve developed. We all experienced a lack of grounding and togetherness during the COVID-19 pandemic, but through this therapeutic collaboration, Adamo and the young artists regained their footing by laying down seeds and roots.
A Community Tradition
“From Farm to Craft Table” marks the 18th year of the Community Arts Initiative, through which the MFA partners with community organizations to introduce young people ages 6 to 12 to the Museum’s collection and the art-making process. For this exhibition, through the Community Arts Initiative, the Museum is proud to partner with Berkshire Partners Blue Hill Boys & Girls Club, Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center, Charlestown Boys & Girls Club, Condon Boys & Girls Club, Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester, Edgerley Family South Boston Boys & Girls Club, Jordan Boys & Girls Club, Sociedad Latina, United South End Settlements, Vine Street Community Center, West End House Boys & Girls Club of Allston-Brighton, and Yawkey Boys & Girls Club of Roxbury.
