THE CLARK ART INSTITUTE BREAKS NEW GROUND WITH HUMANE ECOLOGY
THOMAS CLARK / CLARK ART INSTITUTE ( 2 )
THE CLARK ART INSTITUTE BREAKS NEW GROUND WITH HUMANE ECOLOGY
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n the stunning campus of the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown , modern structures and outdoor sculptures are starkly contrasted by gorgeous natural scenery . A multi-tiered reflecting pool stands next to the striking Clark Center , Museum Building , and Manton Research Center . The buildings give way to 140 acres of expansive lawns , meadows , treelined hills , and a trail system that leads past the Lunder Center at Stone Hill . The juxtaposition of the man-made and natural environments serves as a visual testament of the Clark ’ s commitment to ecologically conscious stewardship , exemplified through the bold and uncompromising exhibition , Humane Ecology : Eight Positions , which opens July 15 .
Humane Ecology invites visiting patrons to examine humanity ’ s complex connection to nature through a diverse range of artistic and cultural perspectives .
“ The show introduces artists who work in different places , or ‘ positions ,’ across North America ,” shares the Clark ’ s Curator of Contemporary Projects Robert Wiesenberger . “ My hope is to emphasize the double meaning of ‘ positions ’: different perspectives and different places . The geographic positions and surrounding ecology directly influence their artworks and artistic process .”
The exhibition takes full advantage of the Clark ’ s indoor and outdoor spaces to showcase the sculptural and multimedia works by eight artists : Eddie Rodolfo Aparicio , Korakrit Arunanondchai , Carolina Caycedo , Allison Janae Hamilton , Juan Antonio Olivares , Christine Howard Sandoval , Pallavi Sen , and Kandis Williams . Their artwork explores the ecological intersectionality of critical issues such as diversity , feminism , anthropocentrism , and cultural marginalization . The Clark has long been celebrated for its progressive and culturally aware programming — and this exhibition marks another watershed moment in its artistic evolution .
The museum ’ s permanent collection and research facilities found within its state-of-the-art buildings and indoor gallery spaces are certainly well-noted . Far removed from the hectic pace of urban life , the campus serves as a fertile canvas where art takes on a different dimension , offering a stimulating experience that awakens the senses . The picturesque and rural setting provides an opportunity to examine art and the artistic process through a unique lens of natural aware-
Above , Carolina Caycedo , Mamma Nettle Wheel , 2023 , acrylic mural , made in conjunction with student artists from Williams College . Courtesy of the artist and Instituto de Visión . Opposite , Analia Saban ’ s Teaching a Cow How to Draw ( 2020 ), is a modified fence that acts both functionally , as a barrier between the seasonal cow pasture and the Clark ’ s buildings , and conceptually , as a 620-foot-long drawing in space .
July 2023 BERKSHIRE MAGAZINE // 9