PICASSO FILM SERIES CONTINUES AT CLARK ART INSTITUTE

July 25, 2017

Williamstown, Massachusetts—“Picasso in Film,” a free Monday evening film series at the Clark Art Institute, continues on Monday, August 7 at 7 pm with Basquiat (1996, rated R). The film will be shown in the auditorium, located in the Clark’s Manton Research Center. Run time is 1 hour, 30 minutes. The film series is shown in conjunction with the Clark’s exhibition, Picasso: Encounters, on view through August 27, 2017.

A biopic of American graffiti artist Jean-Michel Basquiat’s short life, the film chronicles the rise and fall of Basquiat (Jeffery Wright) as he takes his place within the New York art scene after being discovered by Andy Warhol (David Bowie). In the film, the artist and his mother view a copy of Pablo Picasso’s infamous Guernica, a replica created specifically for the film with permission from Picasso’s estate. This replica, per the terms of the agreement, was destroyed and the physical evidence returned to the artist’s estate after filming ended.

Directed by fellow artist Julian Schnabel, the film was called “bold, attention-getting” by The New York Times in a 1996 review, which also noted: “Mr. Schnabel creates sharp, vivid images redolent of downtown New York in the 1980’s and proves himself caustically familiar with this terrain.”

Other titles in the “Picasso in Film” series include Midnight in Paris (August 14) and Neruda (August 21). All films are shown at 7 pm.

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 270,000 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 daily, 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.

Press contact:
Clark Art Institute
413 458 0471
[email protected]