For Immediate Release
July 14, 2022

CLARK ART INSTITUTE PRESENTS CONCERT BY GRAMMY AWARD WINNER AOIFE O’DONOVAN

Williamstown, Massachusetts—The Clark Art Institute hosts an outdoor concert by Grammy award-winning folk musician Aoife O’Donovan on Tuesday, July 19 at 6 pm on the Clark’s South Lawn near the Reflecting Pool. An Irish-American singer-songwriter, O’Donovan quietly dazzles with intimate songs that feel big and bold. 

Aoife O’Donovan has released three critically acclaimed solo albums, is co-founder of the bands I’m With Her and Crooked Still; is the featured vocalist on The Goat Rodeo Sessions with Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer, and Chris Thile; and spent a decade contributing to the radio variety shows “Live From Here” and “A Prairie Home Companion.” O’Donovan won a Grammy in 2020 with her band I’m With Her for Best American Roots Song for their song “Call My Name.”

Her voice is at once open and mysterious, compelling in its understatement. Where another singer might head for a showy, dramatic peak, O’Donovan often eases back, letting her phrases evaporate like mist. O’Donovan’s songs are rooted in folk tradition but full of musical surprises: daring melodic leaps, unexpected chord progressions, subtle rhythmic shifts. 

The third solo studio album from the songwriter and musician, Age of Apathy, features a set of quietly startling songs that are at once intimate and ambitious, autobiographical and metaphysical. O’Donovan “paints portraits of America like Simon and Garfunkel…her gorgeous voice floats through the arrangements like a clarinet,” per NPR Music. Age of Apathy has been hailed by the New York Times as “a set of quietly startling songs that are at once intimate and ambitious, autobiographical and metaphysical.” 

The performance is free; no registration is required. Bring a picnic and your own seating. In the event of rain, the performance moves to the Clark’s auditorium, with seating provided on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, visit clarkart.edu/events.

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 285,000 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, from September through June, and daily in July and August. Advance tickets are strongly recommended. 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 information on these programs and more, visit clarkart.edu or call 413 458 2303. 

Use of facemasks is optional for all visitors. For details on health and safety protocols, visit clarkart.edu/health.

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