RELATED EVENTS
EXHIBITION TOUR—KATHIA ST. HILAIRE: INVISIBLE EMPIRES
Fridays: July 5, 12, 19 & 26 and August 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30, 1 pm
A Clark educator hosts an interactive tour of the contemporary art exhibition Kathia St. Hilaire: Invisible Empires. Through close examination and in-depth discussion, examine three artworks by St. Hilaire. Learn how the artist uses printmaking, painting, collage, and weaving to depict figurative scenes from Haitian history and Vodou religion, informed by her experience growing up in Caribbean and African American neighborhoods in South Florida.
Free with gallery admission. Capacity is limited. Pick up a ticket at the Clark Center Admissions desk, available on a first-come, first-served basis. Meet in the lobby of the Lunder Center at Stone Hill.
JULY OUTDOOR CONCERT SERIES
Wednesdays: July 3, 10, 17 & 24, 6 pm
Celebrate the French Caribbean with some of the best musicians from Guadeloupe and Haiti. This series of outdoor concerts is presented in conjunction with the Clark’s Guillaume Lethière and Kathia St. Hilaire: Invisible Empires exhibitions.
Jacques Schwarz-Bart and Band
Wednesday, July 3
Born in Guadeloupe, Jacques Schwarz-Bart has voyaged from neo-soul back to his Caribbean roots. Playing Gwo ka and Vodou jazz, Schwarz-Bart connects jazz music with its Afro-Caribbean and spiritual origins. In 2023, Schwarz-Bart released The Harlem Suite, a collection of tunes and arrangements celebrating his journey to the heart of modern Black music: Harlem, where he lived for eighteen years. Schwarz-Bart performs with his quintet.
Sonny Troupé and Band
Wednesday, July 10
Under the influence of his saxophonist father, Sonny Troupé listened to various musical styles, including jazz, Gwo ka jazz, classical, salsa, and Zouk. The tambour ka (ka drum) was his first instrument. Though he was taught to play the traditional way, he soon used modern playing methods. At age six, he joined the Kimból group—a modern Gwo ka group—as a makè (drum ka soloist). At age eight, he began teaching himself how to play the drums and vibraphone. To this day, no French Caribbean drummer better fuses modern jazz with traditional rhythms. Don’t miss this virtuosic glimpse into the music of Guadeloupe.
Nathalie Joachim Trio
Wednesday, July 17
In Haitian Creole, the word lakou carries multiple meanings. It can mean a backyard or a collective place where people gather to play music and dance. It can also be an extended community or a connection to one’s ancestors. As a band, Lakou Mizik embodies a little of each meaning—bringing music, community, and spiritual connection to backyards and festivals across the globe. Lakou Mizik also incorporates elements of Rara, a form of Carnival music based in Vodou, in which drummers and horn players lead joyous processions through the streets.
All concerts are free. For accessibility concerns, call 413 458 0524. Bring a picnic and your own seating. Rain moves performances to the auditorium, located in the Manton Research Center.
Lakou Mizik
Wednesday, July 24
Lakou Mizik is a multigenerational collective of Haitian musicians united in a mission to spread awareness about traditional Haitian culture. In Haitian Creole, the word lakou carries multiple meanings. It can mean a backyard or a collective place where people gather to play music and dance. It can also be an extended community, or a connection to one’s ancestors. As a band, Lakou Mizik embodies a little of each meaning—bringing music, community, and spiritual connection to backyards (and festivals) across the globe. Lakou Mizik also incorporates elements of Rara, a form of Carnival music based in Vodou, in which drummers and horn players lead joyous processions through the streets. The group formed in Port-au-Prince in 2010 in response to the combined catastrophes of a devastating earthquake, an epidemic, and a political crisis.
Free. For accessibility concerns, call 413 458 0524. Bring a picnic and your own seating. Rain moves the performance to the auditorium, located in the Manton Research Center.
COMMUNITY DAY
Sunday, July 14, 11 am–4 pm
Community Day takes over the Clark once again, and you’re invited! Join us as engaging stories unfold and surprising festivities take place, inside the museum and around our 140-acre campus. All day long, enjoy free admission to the permanent collection galleries and special exhibitions, including Guillaume Lethière, Kathia St. Hilaire: Invisible Empires, Fragile Beauty: Treasures from the Corning Museum of Glass, Edgar Degas: Multi-Media Artist in the Age of Impressionism, and I Drive Thee. Learn about glass, printmaking, and collage through art-making activities and artist demonstrations. Immerse yourself in the techniques and themes of Neoclassical art by trying your hand at live figure drawing. Throughout the day, enjoy live music performances, delicious local food, and surprises for all ages!
Free. Refreshments and select activities available for purchase. Held rain or shine.
Family programs are generously supported by Allen & Company.
DANCE PERFORMANCE: JEAN APOLLON DANCE TROUPE
Saturday, August 17, 4 pm
The Boston-based Jean Apollon Dance Troupe (JAE) is a Haitian contemporary dance company combining modern technique and Haitian folkloric dance. JAE fulfills its mission to preserve Haitian folkloric culture while constantly enlivening the art form in accessible, inspiring, and educational ways. As part of the Clark’s celebration of French Caribbean culture, JAE combines drumming and Haitian folkloric dance in this performance in celebration of the Guillaume Lethière and Kathia St. Hilaire: Invisible Empires exhibitions.
Free. For accessibility concerns, call 413 458 0524. Bring a picnic and your own seating. Rain moves the performance to August 18 at 4 pm.
BOOK CLUB: ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SOLITUDE
Wednesday, August 21, 5:30 pm
This summer, the Clark is reading Gabriel García Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude, a novel that informed the work of Kathia St. Hilaire and her Invisible Empires exhibition. Come early to view the exhibition before joining Clark educators and fellow book lovers for a casual conversation about the book and its connections to St. Hilaire’s exhibition.
Pick up One Hundred Years of Solitude at the Clark’s Museum Store, borrow the book from your local library, or reach out to [email protected] for support in acquiring a free copy.
Free, including admission to Kathia St. Hilaire: Invisible Empires. Advance registration required. Capacity is limited. Register at clarkart.edu/events.