CLARK ART INSTITUTE PLANS FREE MAY DAY CELEBRATIONS

Williams Percussion Ensemble Kicks off the Day

For Immediate Release
April 15, 2016

Williamstown, Massachusetts—Celebrate spring in the Berkshires at the Clark Art Institute on Sunday, May 1 from 10 am to 5 pm with a day of free activities for the whole family. As the final segment of this season’s First Sunday Free program, admission to the galleries is also free.

Start the day at 10 am with an innovative performance by members and guests of the Williams Percussion Ensemble, directed by Matthew Gold, as they present the world premiere of second growth. The hour-long musical event for instruments and voices, created by Massachusetts-based composer D. Edward Davis, is designed to engage with the Clark’s outdoor installation Thomas Schütte: Crystal. The ensemble’s percussion and brass instruments, bells, and voices interact with the natural setting; as performers spread out across Stone Hill, listeners are encouraged to follow.

Other activities include:
· “Flowers, Fresh Starts, and Frivolity” gallery talks, 11 am and 2 pm
· Folk music by Irish trio Dublin Porter, 12–3 pm
· Artmaking, including creating paper flower crowns, bouquets, and May carts, 1–4 pm
· Artist demonstration with a professional florist from Mount Williams Greenhouses, 1–4 pm
· Creating individual flower arrangements with flowers available for sale, 1–4 pm
· Hiking the trails and exploring Stone Hill

ABOUT THE CLARK

The Clark Art Institute, located in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, is one of a small number of institutions globally that is both an art museum and a center for research, critical discussion, and higher education in the visual arts. Opened in 1955, the Clark houses exceptional European and American paintings and sculpture, extensive collections of master prints and drawings, English silver, and early photography. Acting as convener through its Research and Academic Program, the Clark gathers an international community of scholars to participate in a lively program of conferences, colloquia, and workshops on topics of vital importance to the visual arts. The Clark library, consisting of more than 240,000 volumes, is one of the nation’s premier art history libraries. The Clark also houses and co-sponsors the Williams College Graduate Program in the History of Art.

The Clark is located at 225 South Street in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Galleries are open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm. Admission is $20; free year-round for Clark members, children 18 and younger, and students with valid ID. For more information, visit clarkart.edu or call 413 458 2303.

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