Related Events
OPENING LECTURE: WALL POWER! MODERN FRENCH TAPESTRY FROM THE MOBILIER NATIONAL, PARIS
December 14, 11 am
Manton Research Center, Auditorium
Exhibition curator Kathleen Morris, Sylvia and Leonard Marx Director of Collections and Exhibitions and curator of decorative arts, introduces Wall Power! Modern French Tapestry from the Mobilier national, Paris. Drawn from the celebrated collection of the Mobilier national from the 1940s to the present day, this exhibition explores the resurgence of the ancient French tradition of tapestry-making, including works by Henri Matisse, Sonia Delaunay, and Kiki Smith.
Free. Accessible seats available; for information, call 413 458 0524.
EXHIBITION TOUR: WALL POWER!
Sundays, January 5, 12, 19 & 26 and February 2, 9, 16 & 23, 11:15 am
Meet in the Clark Center lower level
Join a Clark educator for a guided tour of the exhibition Wall Power! Modern French Tapestry from the Mobilier national, Paris. Discover how the art of tapestry has evolved in France from the 1940s to today through the experimentation and collaboration of contemporary artists. Learn how artists, dyers, and weavers worked together to create these monumental wall hangings.
Free. Capacity is limited. Pick up a ticket at the Clark Center admissions desk, available on a first–come, first–served basis. Meet in the Clark Center lower level.
BETWEEN TRADITION AND EXPERIMENTATION: THE CONTEMPORARY CREATION OF TAPESTRY
January 26, 2 pm
Manton Research Center, Auditorium
The Mobilier national of France has supported crafts and creation since the seventeenth century. Since the 1930s, the national tapestry manufactories of Gobelins and Beauvais have been part of the Mobilier national, participating in the mid-twentieth century’s “renaissance” of tapestry. Since the 1960s, they have sought to bring together tapestry makers and artists, with projects specifically designed to be woven. Lucile Montagne, Chief Curator at the Mobilier national, presents a close look at this long tradition of the Gobelins and Beauvais factories, which remain faithful to the traditional technique on the loom while working with contemporary artists of all movements to create exciting new tapestries.
Free. Accessible seats available; for information, call 413 458 0524.
WOMEN OF THE FRENCH TAPESTRY REVIVAL: ARTISTS, DEALERS, WEAVERS
February 8, 2 pm
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).
Free. For accessibility questions, call 413 458 0524.
SCHOOL VACATION WEEK
February 17–21, All Day | Art-Making Activities February 18 & 20
During the Massachusetts public school system’s February vacation week, visit the Clark and enjoy the vibrancy of Wall Power! Modern French Tapestry from the Mobilier national, Paris. A drop-in weaving session is offered on Tuesday and Thursday from 10 am–12 pm. After making a unique weaving to take home, attend a special tour offered on Tuesday and Thursday at 1 pm. This all-ages tour of Wall Power! explores the materials, processes, and histories of French tapestries. Throughout the week, pick up a Wall Power! gallery guide to learn more about the exhibition. Every day this week, children of all ages can also pick up a free Drawing Pad and set of colored pencils at the Clark Center admissions desk.
If snow is on the ground, dress for the weather and take a trek across our campus on a pair of Clark snowshoes, available for visitor use all winter long.
Free. Capacity for Wall Power! tours is limited; pick up a ticket at the Clark Center admissions desk, available on a first–come, first–served basis.
Family programs are generously supported by Allen & Company.
TAPESTRIES FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
March 2, 2 pm
Manton Research Center, Auditorium
The revival of tapestry-making in the twentieth century emerged not only as an artistic renaissance but also as a cultural reclamation. These artworks championed exceptional quality in their materials and production methods, standing in opposition to the rise of mass production. Naomi Rosenkranz, a PhD candidate in Conservation of Material Culture at the UCLA/Getty Interdepartmental Program of Cultural Heritage, discusses how the remarkable tapestries in Wall Power! transcend mere aesthetics to suggest a more sustainable textile industry.
Through a materials science lens, Rosenkranz examines how the chemical properties of dyes, the characteristics of natural fibers, and meticulous weaving techniques contribute to the longevity and ecological balance of the tapestries showcased. She also discusses tapestry conservation practices—such as thread matching and careful stabilization—that preserve the narratives within each tapestry and echo the skills of the original weavers.
Free. For accessibility questions, call 413 458 0524.
A CONVERSATION WITH KIKI SMITH
March 8, 2 pm
Manton Research Center, Auditorium
American artist Kiki Smith, whose large-scale tapestry "Seven Seas" is the latest work in the Wall Power! show, will join exhibition curator Kathleen Morris in a conversation about how Smith, who has worked in a wide range of materials over her career, became engaged in the medium of tapestry. Their talk will also explore Smith's long-standing interest in using printmaking to realize work in other media.