THINGS TO DO
The Seaport Art Walk along the New Bedford waterfront at the foot of Union Street will remain on exhibit through October, 2020. Patrons are invited to visit the waterfront and view the work at their leisure.
A trip through time
D
espite the pandemic, the rich cultural heritage of the South Coast is being celebrated with its usual vigor in New Bedford. In fact, despite a delay, this year’s Seaport Art Walk, the waterfront installation of sculptures and murals, is ready to light the way forward. Indeed, the theme of this year’s annual Seaport Art Walk is “Lighting the Way: Historic Women of the South Coast.” It is adapted from and in collaboration with the New Bedford Whaling Museum’s “Lighting the Way” project. Other partners are New Bedford Creative, the City of New Bedford, Destination New Bedford, New Bedford Harbor Development Commission, UMass Dartmouth College of Visual and Performing Arts, and Bristol Community College. Launched in 2018 by the Whaling Museum, “Lighting the Way: Historic
12
By Steven Froias
Women of SouthCoast” explores the historical impact of women from the region. And they, too, are adding to the project in 2020 with a special presentation of new public art. The museum will officially unveil a work of public art in August honoring two historic SouthCoast women, who were chosen by the community. Local artist Alyn Carlson created the artwork featuring educator Marial Harper (1934-2016) and community leader Jennie Horne (19201998). The artwork will appear on the side of the Whaling Museum’s Sundial Building at the corner of Johnny Cake Hill and Union Street. Meanwhile, the Seaport Art Walk was founded in 2013 by Jessica Bregoli – who is herself an important figure in the arts – and this year one of the participating artists in the walk. The work in this year’s Seaport Art Walk was evaluated on the values embodied
September 2020 | The South Coast Insider
by the “Lighting the Way” project. The Whaling Museum states that “as educators and philanthropists, abolitionists and crusaders for social justice, investors and confectioners, sister sailors and millworkers, women from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds have shaped their South Coast communities, the nation, and the world. “Lighting the Way is unearthing remarkable stories of women’s callings that required grit, tenacity, and enduring commitment to their families, careers, and communities.” The Seaport Art Walk along the New Bedford waterfront at the foot of Union Street will remain on exhibit through October. Patrons are invited to visit the waterfront and view the work at their leisure. The four artists who have created the specially commissioned artwork for the 2020 Seaport Art Walk are as follows:
