The Partisans - Boston, MA - Smithsonian Art Inventory Sculptures on Waymarking.com

In Boston, within sight of the Boston Convention Center, is this sculpture, titled, "The Partisans," which remembers Polish resistance post World War II.

The sculpture is currently located at the World Trade Center stop along the MBTA Silver Line - a partially underground busway through the Seaport District. It is on an elevated road between the World Trade Center and the Boston Convention Center. It hasn't always been here - in fact, it has been here for a relatively short time. It was originally placed at the Boston Common in 1983, then was moved to a warehouse.

The sculpture is an aluminum work standing on a raised base lined with wood timbers and containing wood chips, compost, and plants. The composition is of five riders in a tight formation. They are all facing down, utterly defeated. The horses face in all directions. The rough, almost impressionistic finish to the sculpture adds to feeling that they are ghost-like, almost as if they were not there.

There are two plaques. The one toward the rear is a plate facing upward. It says,

"Partizens, Sculpture by Andrzej Pitynski, Sited by Sculpture Placement, Washington, D.C."

The second plaque is in front, facing forward, and has the following text,

"The Partisans
by Andrzej Pitynski
1979

The sculpture depicts Polish Underground fighters who battled the German and Soviet forces during World War II and later the Comunist Regime of Poland

Since August 2006 on loan from The Sculpture Foundation to Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, Daniel A. Grabauskas, General Manager"

There was also a Polish flag and a wreath placed at the time of visiting.

A Wikipedia article for this sculpture has more. One of the things it stated is that the sculpture was originally to recognize the resistance efforts against the Polish Communist regime after World War II and not against the Nazis in World War II, as had been suggested by other sources. However, the sculptor had dedicated his work to all freedom fighters around the world.

Source:
(visit link)

TITLE: The Partisans ARTIST(S): Andrzej Pitynski DATE: 1/1/1979 MEDIUM: Cast Aluminum CONTROL NUMBER: IAS 87740045 Direct Link to the Individual Listing in the Smithsonian Art Inventory: [Web Link] PHYSICAL LOCATION: On plaza at World Trade Center MBTA Silverline Station, on access road between World Trade Center and Boston Convention Center. DIFFERENCES NOTED BETWEEN THE INVENTORY LISTING AND YOUR OBSERVATIONS AND RESEARCH: The sculpture is no longer located at Boston Common. It is now located as described above in the Seaport District of Boston, about a quarter mile northeast of the Boston Convention Center. The base is also no longer gravel. The base is now wooden landscape ties with dirt/compost.

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Please give the date of your visit, your impressions of the sculpture, and at least ONE ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPH. Add any additional information you may have, particularly any personal observations about the condition of the sculpture.

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Date Logged Log   04/10/2016 sagefemme visited it