Culture Tap at the Boston Center for the Arts

The Boston Center for the Arts presents Culture Tap by Dan Sternof Beyer and Bevan Weissman, members of the artist collective New American Public Art. Culture Tap is a pair of interactive kiosks that celebrate the South End’s culture and history, activated by a Charlie Card (no charge required).

Since each Charlie Card has a unique RFID number (radio-frequency identification), different cards play different stories and activate different lighting combinations at each kiosk.

The kiosks will be displayed on the BCA Plaza, 539 Tremont Street, from August 30 through October 18, 2013. An opening reception, artist talk and demonstration will be held on Friday, September 6 starting at 7pm in the Artist Studios Building at the BCA, 551 Tremont Street.

Stories by Day: Swiping a Charlie Card during daylight hours plays an audio story relevant to the locality—a historical anecdote, a tale of a man who met his wife at the nearby bus stop, or any number of diverse community-based oral histories depending on the specific RFID number.

Lights By Night: After sunset a Charlie Card swipe activates environmental lighting near the kiosk, which may illuminate the surrounding architecture, foliage, or sidewalk. Swipes with different cards change the target or the color of the lights, depending on the specific RFID number.

Culture Tap is made possible through the generous support of Eastern Bank, Brewery Ommegang, the Boston Cultural Council and the Joan Mitchell Foundation, with special thanks to the Boston Art Commission.

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