For Immediate Release
August 3, 2023
CLARK ART INSTITUTE HOSTS TALK EXPLORING
EDVARD MUNCH’S IMAGINARY WORLDS
Williamstown, Massachusetts—On Saturday, August 19, the Clark Art Institute hosts a talk by art historian and Professor of Art History at Wellesley College Pat Berman, who explores Edvard Munch’s alternative worlds. Offered at 2 pm in the Clark’s auditorium, the talk is presented in conjunction with the Edvard Munch: Trembling Earth exhibition.
Through his visual art and his writings, Munch offered speculation about alternative worlds, those that animate the tangible world on Earth as well as forces in the larger universe. In an era in which science fiction matured as a genre, a variety of radiant energies were studied by astronomers, and mediumistic communication had entered popular belief, Munch's "trembling earth" was suspended in a web of otherworldliness. Berman takes us on a tour of these imaginary worlds.
Free. For more information, visit clarkart.edu/events.
Trembling Earth features more than seventy-five objects, ranging from brilliantly hued landscapes and three stunning self-portraits, to an extensive selection of his innovative prints and drawings, including a lithograph of Munch's most celebrated work, The Scream. The exhibition includes more than thirty works from the Munchmuseet’s world-renowned collection, major pieces from other museums in the USA and Europe, and nearly forty paintings, prints, and drawings from private collections, many of which are rarely exhibited.
Edvard Munch: Trembling Earth is co-organized by the Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, Massachusetts; Munchmuseet, Oslo, Norway; and the Museum Barberini, Potsdam, Germany, and curated by Jay A. Clarke, Rothman Family Curator, Art Institute of Chicago; Trine Otte Bak Nielsen, curator, Munchmuseet; and Jill Lloyd, independent curator. Generous funding for presentation at the Clark and Munchmuseet is provided by the Asbjorn Lunde Foundation, Inc.
Edvard Munch: Trembling Earth is made possible by Diane and Andreas Halvorsen. Major funding is provided by Carol and Richard Seltzer, with additional support from Lady Gibbons, Robert D. Kraus, the S & L Marx Foundation, and the Norwegian Consulate General, New York. This exhibition is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities.
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 some 300,000 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. Admission is free January through March and is $20 from March through December; admission is free year-round for Clark members, all visitors age 21 and under, and students with a valid student ID. Free admission is also 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.
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