For Immediate Release
January 24, 2023
CLARK ART INSTITUTE PRESENTS VIRTUAL TALK
WITH ACCLAIMED FURNITURE DESIGNER JOMO TARIKU
Williamstown, Massachusetts— On Saturday, February 4 at 2 pm, the Clark Art Institute hosts a virtual talk with acclaimed furniture designer Jomo Tariku. Tariku discusses his design process and his relationship to the history of design, including the use of drawing like those by eighteenth-century designers as seen in the Promenades on Paper: Eighteenth-Century French Drawings from the Bibliothèque nationale de France exhibition, on view through March 12. The lecture is presented as part of the Clark’s Conversations with Artists series.
Ethiopian American artist and industrial designer Jomo Tariku is known for his modern African-themed furniture. Tariku’s pieces include a variety of artistic designs that synthesize his own experiences of diverse culture, historical structures, architecture, traditional furniture, colors, artifacts, landscapes, wildlife, hairstyles, and more. As a child growing up in Ethiopia, Tariku was drawn to the eclectic art, souvenirs, and furniture pieces his father collected during his travels throughout Africa and beyond.
Tariku developed his skills as a craftsman while spending two summer breaks working at a furniture builder in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He went on to study Industrial Design at the University of Kansas. His craft expresses a modern harmony of heritage, humanity, and design sensibility. Tariku’s namesake collection, launched in 2017, has been featured in numerous publications including Elle Decor, Architectural Digest, and Interior Design. Tariku currently lives and works outside Washington, D.C.
Free, but advance registration is required. Registrants will receive a Zoom link upon registration. For more information and to register, visit clarkart.edu/events.
This talk was originally planned as an in-person event but will now be held virtually.
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 more than 285,000 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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