For Immediate Release
April 2, 2024
CLARK ART INSTITUTE RESEARCH AND ACADEMIC PROGRAM PRESENTS LECTURE ON THE ABSENCE OF BLACK BRAZILIAN ARTISTS IN THE HISTORY OF
AFRO-DIASPORIC ART
Williamstown, Massachusetts—On Tuesday, April 30 at 5:30 pm, the Clark Art Institute’s Research and Academic Program presents a lecture by Igor Simões (State University of Rio Grande do Sul / Clark Fellow) interrogating the absence of Black Brazilian artists in the context of the international debate on art and the history of Afro-Diasporic art, speculating the US scenario, which is projected as if it occupied the protagonism of this production in the Americas. The talk takes place in the Clark’s auditorium, located in the Manton Research Center.
It should be noted that Brazil was the largest destination for the African diaspora and has the largest contingent of Black subjects outside the African continent. How then to understand the absence that has been proven from the analysis of publications, exhibitions, and institutional collections that are dedicated to the theme? This lecture is intended to contribute to the understanding of the problem and possible strategies that help to change this situation.
Igor Simões is professor of history, theory, and art criticism, as well as methodology and practice in art teaching, at Universidate Estadual do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. He holds a PhD from the same institution. His work focuses on the intersections of histories of art and racialization in Brazilian art. Recent and current curatorial projects include Presença Negra no Museu de Arte do Rio Grande do Sul, Empowerment (Volfsburg, Germany); Social Fabric (Houston and Dallas, Texas); and Dos Brasis: Arte e Pensamento negro.
Free. Accessible seats available; for information, call 413 458 0524. A reception at 5 pm in the Manton Research Center reading room precedes the event. For more information, visit clarkart.edu/events.
The next Research and Academic Program lecture is presented by Michael Gaudio (University of Minnesota / Clark Professor 2023–2024) and explores a much-discussed feature of the nineteenth-century North American landscape: Native American burial mounds. The event takes place on Tuesday, April 30 at 5:30 pm in the Clark’s auditorium.
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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