Vermont Magazine Fall 2020 Fall 2020 | Page 34

TWO PREMIER VACATION RENTALS HOMES IN THE BEAUTIFUL GREEN MOUNTAINS OF SOUTHERN VERMONT. Why​stay​in​a​room​when​you​can​rent​an​entire​home! ~ Manchester 3 bedroom 3.5 bath home on 3.8 acres ~ ~ Manchester 4 bedroom 4.5 bath home on 2 acres ~ ​www.vermontvacation-rentals.com experience, a true Gesamtkunstwerk. The most cathartic art experience that we ever had was when we went to Marfa, Texas about 15 years ago. It wasn’t just the art, it was the way that it was presented. It was a true epiphany seeing the installations there. In a modest way, that’s what we aspire to with our installations in Vermont, and Germany. Q: It’s always interesting to see, especially in the context of current events, how times of change inspire new art. Do you think art itself also has the potential to help people come together to overcome challenges in difficult times? A: I would certainly hope so. I think that history demonstrates that to be the case. We have been travelling much more, and visiting museums around the world and exploring periods of art history that we were not so familiar with. We’ve also immersed ourselves in European history. When you read about things such as the thirty-year war it’s interesting to see the art made in these times of upheaval. A lot of the great artworks that were created in these periods were probably in response to the challenges that people were going through. I like to think that art provided inspiration to people when they needed it most. I also think that to be the case today. One of the ironies of the Covid-19 crisis is that it has forced these museums to close. But art still provides an emotional outlet for people, and we can share it by other means, such as social media. I’ve become a fan of Instagram lately. The people whom I communicate with on Instagram get inspired by art. And more than that, we get spiritual and emotional support from being able to share interesting art that catches our attention with one another. Q: It’s an encouraging sign to see that in spite of current events, art continues to find a way to inspire people. Is there anything else you would like to let people know about the Hall Art Foundation? A: I would say that there are a lot people who might feel intimidated by art or think they know too little about it to understand it. I would tell those people that it is more than worth overcoming their trepidation and coming to the Hall Art Foundation in Vermont. We’ve had a series for the last two summers, the “Open Friday” events. I think there were a lot of people who had little to no prior experience with art who came to those events and were pleasantly surprised. I just hope that we can help even more people to overcome their reservations so that they can enjoy the art. 32 VERMONT MAGAZINE