Laurie Anderson is the host of Awaken, a new podcast from the Rubin Museum of Art in New York City about the path to enlightenment and what it means to "wake up." Inspired by the Rubin’s current exhibition Awaken: A Tibetan Buddhist Journey Toward Enlightenment, on view through January 3, 2022, the ten-episode podcast series takes listeners on a journey with personal stories from diverse guests who have experienced a shift in their awareness, and as a result, their perspectives on life. Each episode features one guest and uses artworks from the exhibition as a jumping off point to better understand their path and where they are headed.

The first two episodes—with comedian Aparna Nancherla and gender non-conforming writer, performer, and public speaker Alok Vaid-Menon—are available now and can be heard below. Subsequent episodes will be released weekly and available for streaming on major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and TuneIn, as well as at RubinMuseum.org/AwakenPOD.

"Enlightenment is a topic at the heart of the Rubin Museum’s collection. It's even the focal point of an entire exhibition currently on view in our galleries," says Dawn Eshelman, Head of Programs at the Rubin Museum. "With the podcast, we wanted to bring a human scale to the sometimes intimidating concept of enlightenment, with voices from a variety of perspectives—both religious and secular—that offer very different, personal examples of what awakening can feel like. These stories are meant to be relatable, inspiring, and sometimes provocative, exploring what it takes to 'wake up.' From taking risks, to asking for help, or finding authenticity and belonging in expected ways—these stories highlight that awakening can come in different forms throughout a lifetime, from life-changing epiphanies, quiet moments of awareness, and everything in between."

For more on the Awaken podcast series and a look at upcoming guests, visit RubinMuseum.org/AwakenPOD.