Acton sculptor Meredith Bergmann’s “Boston Women’s Memorial” is twenty years old this year. The City dedicated the sculpture on October 25, 2003. In celebration of this anniversary, the Boston Women’s Heritage Trail is hosting a premiere of “The Talking Statues” on Saturday, October 21 at 11:00 AM, co-sponsored by the Neighborhood Association of Back Bay and the Friends of the Public Garden. The event is free and open to the public.
Talking Statues uses a QR code and cellphone to give first person voices to the three historical figures in the memorial. The audio recording features the voices of: Attorney General Andrea Campbell reading for Abigail Adams, Congresswoman Ayanna Presley reading for Phillis Wheatley, and Mayor Michelle Wu reading for Lucy Stone. Bergmann’s sculpture presents these women who shaped Boston’s history, in a non-traditional way; each woman is using her pedestal rather than standing upon it, encouraging the public to interact with the bronze life-size figures. The new voice feature enhances this aspect of the art’s presentation.
Bergmann will provide remarks at the event, to be held at the Boston Women’s Memorial, located at Commonwealth Avenue and Fairfield Street.
