February: A pandemic love story from 1892
In February, former morning host Chuck Hinman talked with local restaurant owner and history buff Bob Burke about the love story of Italian Count Paolo Bajnotti and Carrie Brown, grand-daughter of Nicholas Brown Jr., the namesake of Brown University in Providence. In Burke’s telling, it’s a story of love and tragedy, of death in a pandemic, and the desire to triumph over death by creating a series of memorials to a timeless love.
March: The RISD Black Biennial
In March, Artscape producer James Baumgartner visited the RISD Museum to see RISD’s first Black Biennial, which featured the work of nearly 80 artists. The exhibit’s co-creators gave him a tour and talked about the importance of representation at RISD.
April: RI Poet Laureate Tina Cane
April was National Poetry Month April and for Artscape, Chuck Hinman visited with poet Tina Cane. She stopped by to talk about her stint as Rhode Island Poet Laureate and to read from her new book, “The Year of the Murder Hornet.”
May: Chapman Cycles
In May, we met Brian Chapman, who makes bicycles in his small workshop in Pawtuxet Village. While most bicycles you can buy these days are made in a factory in Taiwan on China, Brian makes bicycles by hand, one at a time, each one custom-designed for one cyclist.
November: The Wedding Cake House
In November, morning host Luis Hernandez and Artscape producer James Baumgartner visited the Wedding Cake House, which had been empty and abandoned on Broadway in Providence for more than 30 years. In 2017, an arts organization took control of the building. After three years of renovations, it’s a work of art on its own. Now the house hosts residencies for artists, along with a bed and breakfast business that supports the organization.
Go to www.thepublicsradio.org/arts to listen to more Artscape stories.
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