Transcending Borders
City of Salem’s Mayor Dominick Pangallo, alongside the Salem Public Art Commission, extends a warm welcome to the third Salem Public Artist in Residence (PAiR). The PAiR will be stationed at the City of Salem’s newly revitalized studio space within Artists’ Row. Artists’ Row comprises four individual artist stalls, a restaurant, and a public restroom, and is centrally positioned in the historic downtown area of Salem, situated at 24 New Derby St., directly across from Old Town Hall and Derby Square. This locale, situated at the core of the city, was initially erected as a marketplace and remains a vibrant public plaza and pedestrian thoroughfare.
This year, Julia Csekö was awarded the 2024 Salem PAiR, scheduled from May 2024 to January 2025. The residency will reach its apex with an exhibition at Old Town Hall in January 2025. Csekö will spearhead the Participatory Public Art Installation titled “Transcending Borders,” utilizing the Artists’ Row studio space as a gathering point for the community to share and celebrate immigration stories.
This participatory public art piece features over 2,000 brightly colored ribbons with the phrase “YOU ARE WELCOME HERE” in twelve languages commonly spoken by immigrant populations in greater Boston. The project’s innovative use of QR codes and a mailbox encourages public engagement and sharing of immigration stories, with an augmented reality integration linking participants to organizations supporting immigrant and refugee rights. Additionally, Csekö will curate storytelling events and family-friendly workshops throughout her tenure.