For Immediate Release
November 9, 2023

OLIVIER MESLAY KICKS OFF CLARK ART INSTITUTE’S 
RESEARCH AND ACADEMIC PROGRAM SYMPOSIUM 
ON BRITISH ART 

Williamstown, Massachusetts—On Wednesday, November 29, the Clark Art Institute’s Research and Academic Program hosts a conversation between Olivier Meslay, Hardymon Director of the Clark, and Caroline Fowler, Starr Director, Research and Academic Program, to open the symposium British Art 1750–1919: Reflections and Futures. The talk takes place at 5:30 pm in the Clark’s Michael Conforti Pavilion, located in the Clark Center. The symposium, which continues on Thursday, November 30 from 9 am to 5 pm, is presented in celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Manton Research Center building, which is the home to the Clark’s gallery dedicated to British art.

Meslay discusses his experience curating British art, and how the field of British art has changed since Meslay mounted one of the first exhibitions dedicated to British art at Paris’ Louvre Museum British Art in French Collections, in 1994. A scholar of British art, Meslay brings his experience of working within both French and American institutions to consider how shifting ideas of borders, nationalism, art history, and exhibition trends have transformed not only the field of British art but also museum practice and exhibitions more widely.

Free. A 5 pm reception in the Michael Conforti Pavilion precedes the event. For more information, visit clarkart.edu/events.

ABOUT THE CLARK
 The Clark Art Institute, located in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, is one of a small number of institutions globally that is both an art museum and a center for research, critical discussion, and higher education in the visual arts. Opened in 1955, the Clark houses exceptional European and American paintings and sculpture, extensive collections of master prints and drawings, English silver, and early photography. Acting as convener through its Research and Academic Program, the Clark gathers an international community of scholars to participate in a lively program of conferences, colloquia, and workshops on topics of vital importance to the visual arts. The Clark library, consisting of some 300,000 volumes, is one of the nation’s premier art history libraries. The Clark also houses and co-sponsors the Williams College Graduate Program in the History of Art.

The Clark, which has a three-star rating in the Michelin Green Guide, is located at 225 South Street in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Its 140-acre campus includes miles of hiking and walking trails through woodlands and meadows, providing an exceptional experience of art in nature. Galleries are open 10 am to 5 pm Tuesday through Sunday, from September through June, and daily in July and August. Admission is free January through March and is $20 from March through December; admission is free year-round for Clark members, all visitors age 21 and under, and students with a valid student ID. Free admission is also available through several programs, including First Sundays Free; a local library pass program; and EBT Card to Culture. For information on these programs and more, visit clarkart.edu or call 413 458 2303.

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