Covid-19, Black Lives Matter inspire new lantern installation on the Greenway

The Rose Kennedy Greenway has installed a series of lanterns on its Chinatown stretch by artist Yu-Wen Wu that commemorate the history of both Chinatown and Chinese immigration to the US.

Wu says that while she began thinking about using lanterns to illustrate that history before events of the past year, she was influenced by them:

The idea for this work evolved during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and as events were unfolding across the country that further fueled the Black Lives Matter movement. It is my hope that Lantern Stories will offer opportunities for civic dialogue, social action, and simply the pleasure of experiencing the beauty of lanterns lit from within during these challenging times.

The lanterns are lit between 4 p.m. and 7 a.m.