A Whale of a Town

Walking down Newbury Street after a long shift at work, I saw an awesome piece of art. That's why Boston is so great-it throws an incredibly unique sculpture at you when you least expect it, making you love and appreciate the city so much more. Right at Newbury and Fairfield Street, in front of the restaurant Ciao Bella sits a sculpture of a whale. Painted on it are various Boston landmarks and icons, such as our great sports teams and culture and history, as well as creative murals and designs.

I researched the art and found out it's an entire exhibit called "The Whale Trail," with 50 whales total. Most of the sculptures are located in Southeastern Connecticut, and Westerly, Rhode Island, with three in Newport, RI, New York and Boston. A local business or organization supports each whale, while also supporting the local arts community. A different artist painted each whale, making each unique with various artistic styles. One, for example uses stained glass, while another is covered in beans. The exhibit is on display from July through October and at the end each whale will be auctioned off to benefit various non-profit organizations. The artist for the Boston whale is Dixie Whately, sponsored by Mohegan Sun and will benefit the Boston Center for the Arts.

This exhibit is so completely original and fun. I love that each city gets its own whale with characteristics unique to that city. I really felt proud to be a part of Boston when I saw it. It's almost a general expression of how I think most people feel about Boston-proud. Although I've only been here for about two and a half years, I feel like a real Bostonian. I'm proud to be part of a city with such great culture, history and fun. The whale made me smile. I think Boston just does that to people.