For Immediate Release
January 14, 2025
CLARK ART INSTITUTE PRESENTS A LOOK AT
WOMEN OF THE FRENCH TAPESTRY REVIVAL
WITH PROFESSOR KAY WELLS
Williamstown, Massachusetts—On Saturday, February 8 at 2 pm, the Clark Art Institute presents “Women of the French Tapestry Revival: Artists, Dealers, Weavers,” a talk by Kay Wells (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee). This free lecture is given in conjunction with the Clark’s exhibition Wall Power! Modern French Tapestry from the Mobilier national, Paris, and takes place in the Clark’s Manton Research Center auditorium.
French tapestry weaving was traditionally an elite luxury craft practiced by men, who passed prestigious weaving positions down from father to son for generations. But as modernists began to revive French tapestry weaving in the twentieth century, women took on increasingly prominent roles in the field as artists, dealers, and weavers. This talk by Kay Wells explores how women worked in these and other roles to produce modern French tapestries, how they carved out new careers in this dramatically changing field, and how they transformed the look and feel of modern art.
Kay Wells serves as Director of Graduate Studies and Associate Professor of American Art and Architecture at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and is the author of Weaving Modernism: Postwar Tapestry between Paris and New York (Yale University Press, 2019).
Drawn from the celebrated collection of the Mobilier national from the 1940s to the present day, Wall Power! Modern French Tapestry from the Mobilier national, Paris explores the resurgence of the ancient French tradition of tapestry-making, including works by Henri Matisse, Sonia Delaunay, and Kiki Smith.
Wall Power! Modern French Tapestry from the Mobilier national, Paris is organized by the Clark Art Institute and curated by Kathleen Morris, Sylvia and Leonard Marx Director of Collections and Exhibitions and curator of decorative arts.
Generous support for this exhibition is provided by George W. Ahl III, the Coby Foundation, and Robert D. Kraus. The exhibition catalogue is made possible by Denise Littlefield Sobel.
Free. Accessible seats available; for information, call 413 458 0524. For more information, visit clarkart.edu/events. Admission to the Clark is free January through March 2025.
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 nearly 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 to all from 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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