The Clark - A Place for Art in the Hills

Traveling to Williamstown, Mass to visit The Sterling and Francine Clark Institute of Art has been a summer time ritual for a number of years.  It is well known for its superb collection of Impressionist and old Master paintings and the well-curated summer exhibitions made it worth the trip. Recently, one could see the construction beyond the existing buildings. While I wondered what the future held for The Clark, I was more anxious to visit the galleries than to consider what the redevelopment would mean.  As newspapers heralded the fact that the work was almost complete and would soon be open to the public, I became seriously curious and began planning my trip.

Naturally, one notices the architectural style of any art museum being visited, but occasionally the building becomes the art and my recent visit to The Clark to view the completion of master plan was one of those occasions.  The Clark is more than a series of galleries - it refers to itself as an art museum and an "international center for higher education, research, and critical discussion of the visual art."  It also supports on its property the Lunder Center at Stone Hill which is the largest regional conservation center in the country.

The Clark Institute of Art, 2014

Over the last 14 years Michael Comforti, director of The Clark and a Choate parent has worked with a team consisting of Pritzker Prized winning Japanese architect Tadao Ando, New York architect Annabelle Selldorf, and Boston landscape architect Reed Hillderbrand.  It is difficult to capture what Comforti has created with a few pictures.  However, I hope that the following images will hint at the elegance and grace of the new Clark Center and encourage all to make the trip to the Berkshires to enjoy this fabulous institution.

Walking past granite, concrete and glass to enter

Steps from basement toward the reflecting pools

Looking to the hills that surround the center

Looking over the back of the new entrance

Original building with new facade

Even though the real purpose of my July visit was to explore the new building, a little time was left to visit the main galleries and a few favorite works.  Walking into the old building one it greeted by a gallery displaying works by Winslow Homer and also George Inness.

Winslow Homer, Undertow, 1886

George Inness, Home at Montclair, 1892

Much has changed with the new expansion and development of the grounds surrounding The Clark, but the extraordinary collection of wonderful art remains the heart and soul of this very special place in the Berkshires.