For Immediate Release
February 8, 2023
HENRY W. ART JOINS CLARK ART INSTITUTE TO HEAD SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES
(Williamstown, Massachusetts)—As part of its continued emphasis on stewardship of its 140-acre campus, the Clark Art Institute has engaged Henry W. Art to serve as its Sustainability Projects Manager. Art, a noted scientist and environmentalist, will work closely with the Clark’s Hardymon Director Olivier Meslay to develop a long-term plan to identify and implement environmental programs and practices that will further enhance the Clark’s sustainability efforts.
Art is the former director of the Center for Environmental Studies at Williams College and is the Robert F. Rosenburg Professor of Environmental Studies and Biology, emeritus. Over a fifty-year tenure, Art taught biology and played a leading role in developing the college’s environmental studies programs. He is recognized as an expert in forest ecology and has focused extensively on the unique ecological and environmental conditions of the Berkshires.
“We are extremely fortunate to have Hank Art joining us to help us in building a comprehensive plan that will lead the Clark’s efforts to ensure that we are protecting and preserving our lands in the most sustainable and responsible ways possible,” said Meslay. “Hank brings a deep knowledge of this region and a passionate commitment to ecology to his work, and we are confident that his expertise will help us to create a sustainability plan that will benefit our community for generations to come.”
Art will partner with the Clark’s buildings and grounds departments in assessing the Clark’s current status and practices, and will collaborate with the Clark’s management team to develop an integrated sustainability plan that will cover all areas of the Institute’s operations.
Art has worked with the Clark on a number of previous projects, including developing a 2016 exhibition, Sensing Place: Reflecting on Stone Hill, that he co-curated along with Mark C. Taylor. Art researched the natural history of Stone Hill for the Clark in 2008 and assisted in the development of the Institute’s first interpretive trail map in 2013.
“In my past involvement with the Clark, I have been impressed by their forward thinking regarding their environmental planning,” Art said. “I look forward to working with the Clark community to continue this work in both the development of their sustainability plan and taking steps toward implementing it. This effort involves not only the Clark staff, their volunteers, and the public, but also collaborations with other cultural institutions, the Town of Williamstown, Williams College, and others. The possibilities are great and the potential benefits to us all are even greater.”
Art is a resident of Williamstown and is active in numerous local organizations including the Williamstown Conservation Commission, Taconic Trails Council, The Williamstown COOL Committee, the Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation, and the Woodlands Partnership of Northwest Massachusetts. He is also a member of many professional societies in his field, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science, British Ecological Society, Eastern Native Plant Alliance, Ecological Society of America, The Nature Conservancy, and the New England Wildflower Society.
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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