The Lincoln Public Library is proposing to take its art gallery outside for a month with a temporary video installation — but it needs approval from the Historic District Commission first.
The HDC will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 7:30pm to discus the proposal to show nighttime video projections on the exterior of the library near the old entrance on Bedford and Trapelo roads.
The temporary installation, “Lincoln Florilegium” by Lincoln resident Matthew Belge, would have two projectors: one display portraits of Lincoln residents and images of flowers, and the second displaying accompanying quotations. The projection will consist of a slowly changing sequence of images and quotations rather than a traditional narrative video. Portraits, flowers, and text will transition gradually, creating a contemplative visual experience for passersby, according to library director Melissa Roderick. The projections would begin shortly after sunset and run for approximately two hours per evening, four nights per week, throughout the month-long gallery exhibit, which is tentatively scheduled for February.
A library committee chooses from applications for the rotating exhibits the inside gallery. Belge has had his work shown there before, as well as at the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, Ars Electronica in Austria, and First Night Boston (see previous light installations here).
“The committee was particularly excited about this proposal because it takes the ideas and events that happen inside the library every day and brings them out into the community in a visible way,” Roderick said. “We think of the library as more than a place to borrow books. It’s a place where people come together to learn, share knowledge, discover new perspectives, and express their creativity. This project reflects that spirit by highlighting the stories and reflections of Lincoln residents and inviting people to encounter them in a new setting.”
“Lincoln Florilegium” draws inspiration from the medieval tradition of the florilegium, a collection of quotations and ideas (the Latin word “florilegium” means “gathering of flowers,” with flowers serving as a metaphor for ideas worth collecting and sharing), according to Roderick. “In his artist statement, Matthew writes that “Lincoln Florilegium” is an opportunity to bring together his love for the town of Lincoln with his appreciation for the library as one of the community’s core offerings,” she added.
The HDC hearing will be accessible via this Zoom link. The agenda that night also includes a preliminary review of a proposal to renovate the building and grounds of the Parish House/Stone Church.
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