MBTA Finds Artist Who Created Murals On Green Line Tunnel Wall In '70s
BOSTON (CBS) – The MBTA said it has found the artist whose paintings were removed during the reconstruction work at the Government Center station.
The T had been looking for Mary Beams since last fall, when they took down her 19 murals on the interior tunnel walls, where they had hung since 1979.
MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo told WBZ NewsRadio 1030 they tracked her down in Grand Marais, Minnesota Friday afternoon. She now runs a pie shop in the town on Lake Superior.
Pesaturo said Beams was "pleasantly surprised" to get his phone call.
"We had a very good conversation with her and, in the coming weeks, she's looking forward to working with us on finding a resolution that everyone will be happy with." he said.
Beams told WBZ-TV she was "completely stunned" when she got the call.
Her four-by-eight foot murals were done as a public art project 35 years ago.
"I wanted to express how much fun it is to ride the subway," she said adding that she combined different images taken from actual photographs at the time.
Pesaturo said they didn't have much information on Beams or where she might be because record keeping in the '70s was "less than perfect."
Pesaturo said the condition of the paintings has deteriorated and it would be much too costly for the MBTA to restore them.
Beams said she would like the murals to stay in Boston and she'll be working with the MBTA to come up with a way to make that happen.
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