For Immediate Release
September 30, 2021
CLARK ART INSTITUTE HOSTS BOOK TALK WITH AUTHOR PHILIP HOARE
Williamstown, Massachusetts—On Sunday, October 3, in conjunction with special exhibition Dürer & After, author Philip Hoare discusses and reads from his critically acclaimed new book, Albert and the Whale. This free program will be presented by the Clark Art Institute via Zoom and Facebook Live at 2 pm.
Hoare’s latest novel has received rave reviews internationally. The Guardian noted that “the gifted writer summons the eclectic travels of Albrecht Dürer with captivating passion, poignancy, pure wonder, and a personal twist,” while The New York Times called the book “a summary-defying blend of art history, biography, nature writing and memoir.”
Author and professor of creative writing at the University of Southampton, Philip Hoare has written several books including Leviathan or, The Whale (winner of the 2009 BBC Samuel Johnson Prize), Serious Pleasures: The Life of Stephen Tennant, Noël Coward: A Biography, and England’s Lost Eden: Adventures in a Victorian Utopia. Hoare is also co-curator of the Moby-Dick and Ancient Mariner ‘Big Reads’, among other whale-related projects. Registrants will receive an email with a private Zoom link to this live virtual program before the event. The event will also be broadcast via Facebook Live. For more information and to register, visit clarkart.edu/events. Copies of the book are available for purchase in the Museum Store.
The Clark’s current exhibition, Dürer & After, closes on October 3. In part because of the range of artists who have been inspired by him over the last five centuries—and even today— Albrecht Dürer’s (German; 1471–1528) work retains a keen contemporary edge. Drawing from its extensive holdings of works by—and inspired by—Albrecht Dürer, the Clark’s exhibition presents more than forty works spanning the artist’s career and includes examples by a range of copyists, known and anonymous. Running the gamut from meticulous copying to free interpretation, and from respectful tribute to outright piracy, the methods and motivations of Dürer’s imitators offer a distinctive lens through which to view his remarkable legacy.
This exhibition is organized by the Clark Art Institute and curated by Anne Leonard, Manton Curator of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs. Generous support for this exhibition is provided by Denise Littlefield Sobel.
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. 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.
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