June 2008

The fifth grade artists at Josiah Quincy School in Boston’s Chinatown created metal flowers from threaded rod and hex nuts donated by Atlantic Fasteners of West Springfield, MA. Photo by Jonathan Santos, Department of Micro-Urbanism.

Atlantic donates supplies for public art in Boston

Colorful flowers made from plastic screw-top bottles and hardware donated by Atlantic Fasteners, have transformed an ordinary sidewalk in Boston’s Chinatown.  

The public art installation features handmade flowers created by fifth graders during class at the Josiah Quincy School. It is on display from May through November along Marginal Road between Harrison Avenue and Washington Street.

Inspired by a traditional Chinese floral pattern, the students cut up plastic soda bottles into flowers. As stems, they used 200 three-foot-long, one-quarter-inch diameter steel, zinc plated threaded rod, secured with 400 one-quarter-inch zinc-plated steel hex nuts. The students helped to plan the design for the artwork after analyzing the site for their artwork.

The public art intervention project aims to transform unused urban spaces into delightful places to be through creative, small-scale acts, explained Marrikka Trotter, the artist who conceived the project and an architect at the Boston firm Miller Dyer Spears. This installation is the first of a series, with a second to be completed this summer. “Small ideas and actions can help strengthen a community,” Ms. Trotter said, adding that her “small things” initiative encourages children to work together, be imaginative and learn how to reuse and recycle materials.

Three students making metal flowers from threaded rod and hex nuts donated by Atlantic Fasteners of West Springfield, MA for a public art installation in Boston’s Chinatown. Photo by Mong-Jane Wu, Department of Micro-Urbanism.

Ms. Trotter, who is completing an advanced degree at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, conceived of the project during coursework at the M.I.T Visual Arts Program. She spearheaded the different aspects of the project, enlisting sponsors including the M.I.T. Visual Arts Program, working with the school and teachers Mimi Fong and Wai Chin Ng and their 50 fifth graders on design, site and flower fabrication, and obtaining permission from city officials and soliciting materials from Atlantic Fasteners.

Ms. Trotter approached Atlantic Fasteners because the company is employee owned, located in Massachusetts and had the materials she needed for the flowers. She described the project to Atlantic President Tony Peterson who readily agreed to donate the threaded rod and hex nuts.

“This project would not have been possible without the donation by Atlantic Fasteners,” Ms. Trotter said. She added, “The service from Atlantic Fasteners was phenomenal. The order was shipped early, contained exactly what I asked for, and included a box of Tootsie Roll Pops which the kids loved. I wish I always received that kind of treatment from the paid suppliers I work with as an architect.”