Rainbow Gas Tank

Dorchester hosts its Open Studios this weekend, when artists unveil their work spaces. This year, one of Boston's most visible pieces of public art will also be on show.

The Rainbow Gas Tank got its stripes in 1971, after painter Corita Kent won a commission from the old Boston Gas Company. Her enormous metal canvas has since become a Route 93 landmark, both beloved and maligned.

"I've been here for about 27 years in Boston and I've heard a lot of things about the gas tank. I guess one of the questions would be: is it art? My response would be, certainly it is."

That's Ricardo Barreto, a public art specialist with the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. WBUR's Andrea Shea met up with Baretto at the Savin Hill Yacht Club, where he shared his perspective on the tank's significance.