‘Edvard Munch: Trembling Earth’ opens at the Clark
Williamstown— Opening on June 9th and running through October 15th, the Clark’s summer season begins with the opening of “Edvard Munch: Trembling Earth”. The Clark is the only U.S. venue for this important new exhibition.
The Norwegian artist Edvard Munch (1863-1944) is best known for his vivid depictions of love, anxiety, and death. While he is best known for expertly capturing emotion in human figures, many of his works feature landscape. This exhibition examines how he animated nature to express psychological states, celebrate the abundance of the earth, and ponder the mysteries of the forest during a time of rapid industrialization.
“The opportunity to explore Munch’s perceptions of nature against the backdrop of our own beautiful natural setting is particularly compelling”, said Olivier Meslay, Hardymon Director of the Clark.
“Trembling Earth” includes seventy-five works features brilliantly hued landscapes, stunning figure portraits, drawings and prints, including a lithograph of the artist’s most celebrated work, “The Scream”.
“You can’t think of Munch without your mind immediately turning to ‘The Scream’, the artist’s 1893 painting that is undeniably one of the most famous of all time. But Munch was a revolutionary Modernist in his portrayals of the Norwegian landscape, a shimmering netherworld of dramatic mountains, fjords, and surreal light. This exhibition, conceived with the Munch Museum in Oslo, promises to be the most complete and revelatory display of his work ever to cross the Atlantic.”—The Boston Globe
There is a free opening reception on Friday, June 9th at 7:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be offered. Advance registration is required. Register online or call 413-458-0524.
There is a free opening lecture on Saturday, June 10th at 11 a.m. Jay A. Clarke, the Rothman Family Curator at the Art Institute of Chicago will introduce “Edvard Munch: Trembling Earth”. Learn about the artist, how the exhibition was developed, and explore how Munch animated nature to convey meaning. No registration is required. For more information, visit the Clark online.
There is a member appreciation day on Monday, June 12th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Clark members have exclusive access on this day to the “Edvard Munch: Trembling Earth” exhibition. No reservations required. Members must present a valid membership card. Visit the Clark online to learn about becoming a member.
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Clark Art Institute annual summer book club will read ‘So Much Longing in So Little Space: The Art of Edvard Munch’, a personal meditation on Munch’s life and work by Norwegian author Karl Ove Knausgård
Williamstown— On Tuesday, June 27th at 7 p.m., the Clark Art Institute announces its annual summer book club.
This year’s book selection is “So Much Longing in So Little Space: The Art of Edvard Munch”, a personal meditation on Munch’s life and work by Norwegian author Karl Ove Knausgård. The evening begins with a brief tour of “Edvard Munch: Trembling Earth” followed by wine and conversation. Book lovers and Clark staff members will discuss this book as it is related to the summer’s monumental exhibition, “Edvard Munch: Trembling Earth”.
The book club is meeting on Tuesday, June 27th at 7:30 p.m. at the Clark on South Street in Williamstown. Tickets are $10 and $8 for members. Advance registration is required and capacity is limited. Paperback copies of Knausgård’s book are available for purchase in the Museum Store. For more information, visit the Clark online.
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The Clark Art Institute screens ‘Munch’, the 2023 Norwegian biopic of Edvard Munch
Williamstown— On Saturday, June 17th at 6 p.m., the Clark Art Institute screens “Munch”, the 2023 Norwegian biopic of the revered Norwegian artist, Edvard Munch.
“Munch”, directed by Henrik Martin Dahlsbakken, which opened the 2023 International Film Festival in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, has its North American debut simultaneously at the Clark and in New York City. Four different actors embody different periods in Munch’s life, creating a kaleidoscopic portrait of the visionary artist.
The screening will be presented by Henrik Martin Dahlsbakken, the film’s director and one of the lead actors on June 17th at 6 p.m. at the Clark on South Street. The free screening runs 1 hour and 45 minutes followed by a Q&A with Dahlsbakken. No registration is required. For more information, visit the clark online.
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The Bookstore in Lenox will host Jen Ellis, author of ‘Bernie’s Mitten Maker’
Lenox— On Thursday June 8th at 7 p.m., the Bookstore in Lenox will host Jen Ellis, author of “Bernie’s Mitten Maker”.
A couple of years back, Ellis made a pair of mittens from recycled wool and plastic and had them delivered to her U.S. Senator, Bernie Sanders. When Bernie wore them at Joe Biden’s 2021 Presidential Inauguration, thousands of memes sprang up overnight and the mitten maker became an overnight celebrity.
Weaving her own history in with the story of Bernie’s famous mitten memes, Ellis tells how she’s used her flash of fame to raise money for non-profits in her community. First time author, teacher, crafter and lesbian mother, she shares her struggles with childhood trauma, infertility, and homophobia and shows how crafting can build community and generosity can bring joy.
Bernie’s Mitten Maker is a paperback original, published by Green Writers Press. Ellis will read from, discuss and sign copies of the book.
The free event is on Thursday June 8th at 7 p.m. at the Bookstore in Lenox on Housatonic Street in Lenox. For more information, please call the Bookstore at 413-637-3390 or email matt@bookstoreinlenox.com.
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Chesterwood presents a reconstruction of Isadora Duncan’s 1912 solo ‘The Many Faces of Love’ by choreographer Ian Spencer Bell
Stockbridge— On Wednesday, June 21st at 5:30 p.m., Chesterwood, the historic home, studio and gardens of sculptor Daniel Chester French, presents a special program to kick off the third season of its “Arts Alive!” performance series.
The program on June 21st features a reconstruction of Isadora Duncan’s 1912 solo, “The Many Faces of Love” by choreographer Ian Spencer Bell, accompanied by pianist Lauren Aloia. The program will also include a new dance and poetry piece, “Rosing”, created by Bell.
Bell began working on the project last year as a Dancer-in-Residence at Chesterwood, when he learned that the sculptor Daniel Chester French (1850-1931) and Isadora Duncan (1877-1927) not only knew each other but also that Duncan had danced for French in his Studio Garden during the summer of 1898. Duncan was a pioneer of modern dance and her celebration of classical ideals combined with her natural, athletic movement revolutionized dance and theater.
Bell was taught the Duncan choreography from Lori Belilove, a third-generation Duncan dancer, and the founder and director of Isadora Duncan Dance Foundation and Company in New York City. For Bell’s own work, “Rosing”, he recites six original, intimate poems about a past relationship as he falls, swings, lunges, and leaps. Bell states that “Like Isadora Duncan, I often dance in silence and make the very personal public.”
Bell has danced his solos at the Boston Center for the Arts, Jacob’s Pillow, the Poetry Foundation, and the Queens Museum. Classical pianist Lauren Aloia has performed with Lancaster Symphony Orchestra and Newtown Chamber Orchestra.
The performance is on Wednesday, June 21st at 5:30 p.m. in the studio garden at Chesterwood on Williamsville Road in Stockbridge. A talk and a reception follow. Tickets are $25, $20 for members, and free for those under age 18. Advance registration is recommended. Registration can be found by visiting Chesterwood online. The performance will take place in two outdoor locations, both with seating. The rain date is Thursday, June 22 at 5:30 p.m.
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The Mahaiwe and the Clark present ‘The Met Opera Live in HD: Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte’
Great Barrington/Williamstown— On Saturday, June 10th at 1pm, both the Mahaiwe and the Clark present “The Met Opera Live in HD: Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte”.
One of opera’s most beloved works receives its first new Met staging in 19 years, a daring vision by renowned English director Simon McBurney that the Wall Street Journal declared “the best production I’ve ever witnessed of Mozart’s opera.”
Nathalie Stutzmann conducts the Met Orchestra, with the pit raised to make the musicians visible to the audience and allow interaction with the cast. In his Met-debut staging, McBurney lets loose a volley of theatrical flourishes, incorporating projections, sound effects, and acrobatics to match the spectacle and drama of Mozart’s fable.
Live in HD is the Metropolitan Opera’s award-winning series of live high-definition cinema simulcasts. Simulcasts feature the full performance along with backstage interviews and commentary.
The Mahaiwe is located on Castle Street in Great Barrington. Tickets to “The Met Opera Live in HD: Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte”at the Mahaiwe are $25 for adults and $10 for for ages 21 and under. The Mahaiwe accepts “Connector Care/WIC/EBT Card to Culture” good for four press tickets to movies or HD broadcasts per individual. Tickets and more information can be found at The Mahaiwe online.
The Clark is located on South Street in Williamstown. Tickets to “The Met Opera Live in HD: Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte” at the Clark are $25, $22 for members, $18 for students with valid ID, and $7 for children 10 and under. Advance reservations are strongly suggested and no refunds are offered. Tickets and more information can be found at The Clark online.
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Art on Main Gallery presents folk artists Lou Coco and Jameson Currier
West Stockbridge— From June 8th through June 18th, the Art on Main Gallery is happy to announce its next show, folk artists Lou Coco and Jameson Currier.
The opening reception will be held on Saturday, June 10th from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Art on Main Gallery on Main Street in West Stockbridge. Gallery Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday through Sunday. For more information, visit Art on Main Gallery online.
