February 12, 2024

The US Military and the Smithsonian have revived a version of “the monuments-men.-”-- the group of soldiers and military personnel who recovered cultural artifacts and artworks looted by the Nazi regime during World War II. In the 21st century, modern warfare has wreaked havoc on cultural institutions and heritage sites from Bagdahd, to Kiev, to Gaza and beyond. We’ll talk to Cori Wegener, whose work at the Smithsonian is dedicated to preserving and rescuing cultural heritage sites and artifacts. From there, we talk to the playwright Francisco Mendoza about his new work, “ Machine Learning,” now onstage at Central Square Theater. Centered on the fractured relationship between a father, son, and a robot– the play explores society’s codependent relationship with technology, leaving us to ask ourselves if we’re the ones who need to be reprogrammed. Finally, ahead of Valentine's Day, we’re getting a booklovers’ guide to romance with GBH’s arts and culture reporter and associate producer Haley Lerner.