Living in the city, Boston residents have very little exposure to the stars. We know they are there—but we just can’t see them. The Navy Yard Night Sky installation is meant to be our own little celestial phenomenon. 
 
Located in the heart of the Shipyard Park amphitheater, the physical structure for NYNS consists of four panels with programmable mesh lighting installed on the empty spaces between the “roof” beams on the second floor of the two-story brick remnant, creating a canvas for programmable art installations.
 

It provides an intriguing and subtle “glowing” enhancement to the floor and columns of the architectural remnant when seen from afar (such as from the two local residential buildings), and an immersive experience for residents who walk below the installation.

An artist consulted about the potential of programmable art installations said, “You basically have a very cool tool, an instrument, that could be played by any number of artists, over time, in various ways.” 
 

Designed by Zach Lieberman, MIT Media Lab Adjunct Associate Professor, the inaugural art installation has a repeating ten-minute light display. The art is programmed to adjust to the changing patterns of the sun, to illuminate after sunset, dim at midnight and turn off at sunrise. Fully perceiving Lieberman’s installation requires direct proximity, and this will invite interaction and exploration. Significantly, all of the lighting points downward so there is no light pollution and the art is programmed to adjust to the changing patterns of the sun.

Navy Yard Garden& Art looks forward to inviting media artists to create additional art installations. In addition to the grant from the Edward Ingersoll Browne Trust fund, this innovative video art installation was funded by a gift from the Norma M. Ricci Trust and by in-kind donations by Boston Light Source, Available Light and the BPDA.