No, those aren’t pinatas. The monumental multicolored pieces suspended from the ceiling of the Massachusetts College of Art and Design’s new MassArt Art Museum are part of a site-specific installation by Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos. The exhibition, “Valkyrie Mumbet,” celebrates Elizabeth “Mumbet” Freeman, an enslaved woman whose 1781 court battle helped outlaw slavery in Massachusetts. The eye-popping, organic forms also celebrate contemporary fiber arts, and they’re well worth a look, as is the new museum space. 621 Huntington Ave., Boston, 617-879-7333, maam.massart.edu
Marni Elyse Katz is a contributing editor to the Globe Magazine. Follow her on Instagram @StyleCarrot. Send comments to magazine@globe.com.