For Immediate Release
October 26, 2021

CLARK ART INSTITUTE PRESENTS A CONVERSATION WITH ARTIST ERIN SHIRREFF

Williamstown, Massachusetts—The Clark Art Institute presents a live conversation between Montreal-based artist Erin Shirreff and Robert Wiesenberger, the Clark’s associate curator of contemporary projects, about the many connections between her photography, video, and sculpture. This free event will be held in the Clark’s auditorium on Saturday, November 16 at 6 pm. 

Shirreff will discuss her latest body of work Sculptures and their Shadows, now on view in a solo show at Sikkema Jenkins & Co. in New York, as well as her current exhibition at the Clark, Remainders. This program is in conjunction with a screening of Shirreff's video Son (2018), running throughout the day in the Clark's auditorium, on November 16 from 10am–6pm. This large-scale projection, based on a solar eclipse, combines appropriated images with ones made by the artist into a seamless, meditative work. Visitors can come or go at any time during this looped, non-narrative video.

This program is free and open to the public. Proof of COVID vaccination is required. For more information, visit clarkart.edu/events.

Erin Shirreff was born in 1975 in Kelowna, British Columbia and currently lives and works in Montreal. She holds a BFA in visual arts from the University of Victoria, British Columbia, and an MFA in sculpture from Yale University. She has recently been the subject of solo exhibitions at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; Kunsthalle Basel; the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston; and Albright-Knox Gallery.

Erin Shirreff: Remainders is on view in public spaces around the Clark through January 2, 2022. The exhibition examines Erin Shirreff’s practice—between analog and digital media, two and three dimensions, and still and moving images—and its fascination with the mythmaking behind art history. Through photographic manipulations of sculptures found in books, and ones of her own making, Shirreff asks what is left of the original experience of an artwork once it has entered the historical record, and what traces of an artist’s labor might still be legible after the fact. The exhibition includes photographs on paper and aluminum that have been creased and cut, to take on sculptural dimensions, as well as the artist’s video work. Shirreff’s painstaking process encourages slow looking, forensic attention to detail, and an appreciation that things may not be quite as they appear.

The exhibition is organized by the Clark Art Institute and curated by Robert Wiesenberger, associate curator of contemporary projects. Shirreff’s work is courtesy of the artist; Sikkema Jenkins & Co., New York; and Bradley Ertaskiran, Montreal.

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 275,000 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, which has a three-star rating in the Michelin Green Guide, is located at 225 South Street in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Its 140-acre campus includes miles of hiking and walking trails through woodlands and meadows, providing an exceptional experience of art in nature. Galleries are open 10 am to 5 pm Tuesday through Sunday and daily in July and August. All visitors age twelve and older must show proof of vaccination before entering the Clark’s facilities. All visitors age five and older must wear face masks while indoors and outdoors when social distancing is not possible. Advance timed tickets are required. Admission is $20; free year-round for Clark members, all visitors age 21 and under, and students with a valid student ID. Free admission is available through several programs, including First Sundays Free; a local library pass program; and EBT Card to Culture. For more information on these programs and more, visit clarkart.edu or call 413 458 2303.

Press contact: [email protected]