Modernity has the habit of taking credit for many ideas that predate it. In Graft, I challenge this narrative and invite the public to reconsider the origins of what we often assume are Puerto Rican motifs. -- Edra Soto

Hailing from Puerto Rico, Edra Soto has delved deep into her cultural memory to create Graft, a collection of four sculptures that serve as benches and celebrate architectural fusion. The installation beautifully incorporates Puerto Rican palm leaves into a geometric pattern, casting playful shadows and evoking a comforting sense of the island in the heart of Boston.

The motifs found in Graft draw inspiration from Puerto Rican “rejas” (wrought-iron grates) and their West African Yoruba origins, encouraging visitors to explore the complex circulations of architecture and cultural heritage. As she does in many of her works, this internationally recognized artist, curator, and educator invites the public to reconsider the origins of what are often assumed to be Puerto Rican motifs and the impact of colonialism.

ABOUT CENTRAL WHARF PARK

Designed by Reed Hilderbrand, a Cambridge-based landscape architecture practice, Central Wharf Park is an urban micro-forest composed of 24 mature oak trees and sits between the New England Aquarium and the Rose Kennedy Greenway at 250 Atlantic Avenue in Downtown Boston. The park has ramped entry points as well as step up curb entries and is paved in cobblestones. The artwork is sited throughout the park.

View Central Wharf Park