“A lot of pieces, we can walk around or we can walk through or under and past, but not a lot of public art pieces can we walk through and engage in this way where… the art reflects part of us onto it.” 

~Julia Swanson of the Art Walk Project, Culture Show contributor featured 6/30/25

 

 

Listen to the full episode here:

The Culture Show Episode: June 30, 2025 – Heidi Wastweet and Lucía Abramovich Sánchez, public art in New Bedford, and André Aciman

 

Full GBH Podcast Episode Summary

Today we continue our series with the Museum of Fine Arts, looking at works in their collection that give us insight into the people and pivotal moments that shaped America’s fight for freedom. We’re joined by Lucía Abramovich Sánchez, the MFA’s Carolyn and Peter Lynch Associate Curator of American Decorative Arts and Sculpture, and medalist and sculptor Heidi Wastweet. They’ll  discuss Heidi Wastweet’s ’s medals, Abbreviated Liberty and Liberty/Anarchy. These will be on view with  The Passage of the Delaware  in the America at 250 gallery reinstallation next June.

From there we head to New Bedford. Culture Show contributor Julia Swanson takes us on a tour of the city’s booming public art scene.  Julia Swanson is a multidisciplinary artist and award winning photographer who is the creator  of The Art Walk Project – a series of self-guided micro tours of art across Greater Boston.

Finally acclaimed author André Aciman joins The Culture Show to talk about his  new book “Room on the Sea: Three Novellas.”  Tonight you can catch him at the Boston Public Library Central Library in Copley Square in conversation with local author Allegra Goodman. To learn more go here.

 

Take your own tour of the Art Walk Project’s tour of New Bedford:

https://theartwalkproject.com/new-medford-art-walk

 

About The Culture Show Podcast

A Boston-based podcast that thrives in how we live. What we like to see, watch, taste, hear, feel and talk about. It’s an expansive look at our society through art, culture and entertainment. It’s a conversation about the seminal moments and sizable shocks that are driving the daily discourse. We’ll amplify local creatives and explore the homegrown arts and culture landscape and tap into the big talent that tours Boston along the way.

The main host is Jared Bowen, an Emmy award-winning Executive Arts Editor and host of The Culture Show, a daily radio program and podcast at GBH exploring the creative process through a lively mix of local and national artist profiles, performances and exhibitions.