STONE HILL CENTER BECOMES FOCUS OF THE CLARK'S AUTUMN SCHEDULE

For Immediate Release

August 28, 2013
Permanent Collection Highlights to Be Shown in Stone Hill Center Galleries;
Full Schedule of Public and Scholarly Programs Continues
Williamstown, MA—As the final phase of the campus expansion program at The Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute moves towards completion, the Clark is temporarily relocating selections from its permanent collection to galleries in the Stone Hill Center. A trio of installations opens at Stone Hill Center on September 21, showcasing thematic selections from the Clark’s collection. Sacred and Profane: Four Hundred Years of Religious and Mythological Paintings; Land, Sea, and Sky: The Natural World in Art 1600–1900; and Face Time: Portraits and Figures in Paintings and Sculpture include works by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, John Singer Sargent, Piero della Francesca, Claude Monet, and George Inness, among others.

“We’ve reached the most complex—and most exciting—part of our campus expansion program,” said Michael Conforti, director of the Clark. “We will soon begin construction of the new Works on Paper Study Center and galleries, as well as the renovation of our public lobby spaces in the Manton Research Center. As construction moves into these spaces, the Clark will focus its attention on the galleries of our Stone Hill Center to provide our visitors with the continued opportunity of enjoying many of the works in our collection. While these spaces provide a smaller setting, our curatorial team has risen to the challenge of creating intimate shows that we hope will provide a fresh perspective on some of the most beloved works in our collection.”

The Clark also continues an active series of public events and programming throughout the fall, including broadcast presentations of The Met: Live in HD and London’s National Theatre Live, as well as a wide array of lectures, scholarly programs, films, live concerts, and family programs. The Clark’s library reopens on September 3 following installation of a new fire suppression system. All areas of the library, as well as the Clark’s auditorium, remain accessible and operational throughout this phase of the construction project.

“It requires great effort to bring big dreams to fruition,” Conforti said, “and we are working hard to ensure that our visitors continue to have access to our collection during this time of transition. The Clark also continues to be a resource to the community by offering educational programs to school groups and through a new interactive Kidspace program in our Face Time exhibition,” Conforti said. “And of course, we’re hoping many people will take advantage of our walking trails to get a great view of the exciting construction activity that is in full swing on our campus.”

Stone Hill Center Galleries

On September 21, 2013 three installations focused on various aspects of the Clark’s collection open at Stone Hill Center. Each of these exhibitions draws on masterpieces from across the collection and features themes that have fascinated artists in all periods and cultures. These exhibitions represent a new way of displaying the collection, which has more often been organized in a traditional, chronological presentation.

Sacred and Profane juxtaposes depictions of spiritual realms and religious figures with mythological or classically-inspired narratives that detail more secular pursuits and features Renaissance and Baroque masterpieces including Piero della Francesca’s iconic Virgin and Child Enthroned with Four Angels. Face Time reveals a wide range of approaches to the human face and figure in paintings, sculpture, and even silver. John Singer Sargent’s Fumée d'Ambre Gris (Smoke of Ambergris) is one of the highlights of this presentation, which features twenty-eight works. In Land, Sea, and Sky the natural world appears as an inexhaustible resource for decorative motifs as well as for artists’ explorations of sublime power, spirituality, and peaceful plenty. The installation spans two centuries of artistic consideration of the elements, including the dramatic View off Margate, Evening by Joseph Mallord William Turner.

Auditorium and Campus Programs

The Met: Live in HD series returns to the Clark for another season of exceptional performances, beginning October 5 with Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin and continuing through May 10 with Rossini’s La Cenerentola. Other HD programming includes live and encore performances from London’s National Theatre, including two of Shakespeare’s greatest works, Othello and Macbeth. Additional broadcasts are also scheduled, including the first full-length presentation of the famed Paul McCartney and Wings concert film Rockshow.

Live musical performances include a chamber music concert featuring noted cellist Edward Arron on November 17 and the traditional holiday concert on December 6, a highlight of the Williamstown Holiday Walk weekend.

On October 27 the Clark presents a free family day focused on building, featuring a wide array of activities tied to the architecture and to the skilled crafts involved in construction. An additional family day will take place in the winter. The popular Start with Art pre-school program will utilize indoor and outdoor spaces on second Saturdays in December and January.

The Clark’s Research and Academic Program’s scholarly and academic lectures and programs begin on September 12 with a conversation with newly appointed Starr Director Darby English and Associate Director David Breslin and continue throughout the academic year. RAP lectures will be held in the Hunter Studio at Stone Hill Center.

School groups can utilize the galleries at Stone Hill Center as well as the Clark grounds. Educators are urged to make reservations for visits early in the school year as capacity is limited. Kidspace@The Clark will collaborate with WCMA and Mass MoCA under the theme of words and images. SIX focuses on six works of art in which a person, or more than one person, appears. Visitors are challenged to consider the people in these works of art and to describe their distinctive characteristics in just SIX words.

Hours, Visitor Amenities, and Admission

From September 9 through September 20, the Institute’s galleries will be closed to the public as the transition to Stone Hill Center is accomplished. The Clark library is open Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm, beginning September 3. Beginning September 21, Stone Hill Center galleries are open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm and admission is free.

Food service offerings at the Clark will also be adjusted as the program moves to Stone Hill Center. The seasonal dining room, the Clark Café, is open through September 2. The Coffee Cart in the Clark’s main lobby remains open through September 21 in keeping with the Clark’s regular hours of operation. The Stone Hill Café is open daily through September 2 and will serve weekend lunches on September 7–8 and September 14–15. The Stone Hill Café resumes food service beginning September 21 with the opening of the Stone Hill galleries and is open Tuesday through Sunday through October 14. Detailed information regarding dining options is available at clarkart.edu/visit.

The Museum Shop remains open, as does EXTRA!, the Clark’s satellite store on Spring Street in Williamstown. Further details regarding future plans for retail operations will be announced later this autumn.

Parking for Stone Hill Center is readily accessible. Parking for the library and for auditorium activities is available on the Clark’s campus, with additional parking available on South Street.

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PRESS CONTACT:
Amanda Powers
[email protected]