The Clark Art Institute began exhibiting contemporary artist Thomas Schütte’s first full-scale architectural art installation in the United States when it opened Thomas Schütte: Crystal on June 14. Conceived specifically for its location on the Clark’s Stone Hill trails, Schütte arrived at the unusual asymmetrical shape of Crystal by imagining a small piece of crystal scaled up to architectural proportions.
“It’s thrilling that one of the most recognized artists working today has chosen the Clark [private] as the site for his first architectural installation in the United States,” said Michael Conforti, the Director of the Clark. “The views from Stone Hill have attracted hikers and Clark visitors since our opening sixty years ago and now these views can be experienced from inside the fascinating irregular space that Schütte has designed.”
The structure’s interior is clad in wood, referencing the traditional materials of rural vernacular architecture; the outside is zinc-coated copper, a modern material representing contemporary means and methods. Crystal is located on a meadow near the top of Stone Hill, close to the woodland’s edge. Visitors enter the structure through doors on the northwest side; the southeast side of the structure is open and frames a view of cherry and ash trees and the Hoosac mountain range behind them.
Crystal provides visitors the opportunity to reflect on how landscapes and places, including the Clark’s campus, are constructed and preserved. The work’s unusual design does not clearly communicate its purpose, allowing visitors to construct their own meanings and functions for the structure and site.
Thomas Schutte (German, b. 1954) is best known for his public large-scale sculptures of figures that reimagine the role of statuary and monuments. Since the 1980s, he has created a series of architectural models that conjure up spaces ranging from a tiny efficient home to a temple. “With Crystal and other projects that blur the line between sculpture and architecture, Schutte similarly reimagines the history and purpose of built spaces and the worlds they create. It was a real joy to work with Thomas as he realized this project for the Clark and Williamstown,” said the exhibition’s curator David Breslin.
Accessible transport to Thomas Schütte: Crystal is available daily between 11:30 am and 1:30 pm, weather permitting. Information and sign-up is available at the Clark’s admissions desk. For more information visit www.clarkart.edu.
Related Programs:
Sunday June 28, 1 pm: Enjoy an afternoon of fun and learning atop Stone Hill with the Clark as it celebrates Thomas Schütte: Crystal.Take a hike up Stone Hill and learn about the artist and his art. Make a box with mirrored tiles and contribute to a group project inspired by Crystal. This event is free and weather dependent.
Saturdays through August 29, 12:30 pm: Explore the many facets of Thomas Schütte: Crystal with a series of talks by Clark staff involved in the installation. Each week a different staff member will talk about the Crystal from his or her unique professional perspective.
Tuesday, August 18, 3 pm: Join a conversation about Thomas Schütte: Crystal with curator David Breslin, John R. Eckel, Jr. Foundation Chief Curator, Menil Drawing Institute, and Lynne Cooke, senior curator of special projects in modern art, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
The Clark Museum
The Clark is located at 225 South Street in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Galleries are open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm. Admission is $20; free year-round for Clark members, children 18 and younger, and students with valid ID. For more information, visit clarkart.edu or call 413 458 2303. [/private]