For Immediate Release
September 4, 2024
CLARK ART INSTITUTE PRESENTS LECTURE
BY 2024 CLARK PRIZE RECIPIENT BÉNÉDICTE SAVOY
Williamstown, Massachusetts—The Clark Art Institute presents a lecture by Bénédicte Savoy, the 2024 recipient of the Clark Prize for Excellence in Arts Writing, on Monday, September 30. Savoy is a professor of art history at Technische Universität in Berlin and is a noted expert on the provenance and repatriation of works of art, including looted art and other forms of illegally acquired cultural objects. The lecture takes place at 5:30 pm in the auditorium of the Manton Research Center.
In her lecture, titled “Thinking About Absence in Museums,” Savoy examines the emptiness that art and cult objects leave in their place of origin when, through armed conflict, colonial occupation, or economic asymmetries, they are moved to (mostly Western) museums.
The Clark Prize for Excellence in Arts Writing celebrates informed, insightful, and accessible prose that advances the public understanding and appreciation of the visual arts. Recipients of the Clark Prize are distinguished for critical or historical writing that conveys complex ideas in a manner that is grounded in scholarship yet appealing to a diverse range of audiences.
The Clark Prize is presented through generous support provided by the Beinecke family through the Prospect Hill Foundation.
Free. Accessible seats available; for information, call 413 458 0524. A 5 pm reception in the Manton Research Center reading room precedes the talk.
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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