Clark Art Presents Conversation With Kiki Smith

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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — On Saturday, March 8 at 2 pm, the Clark Art Institute presents artist Kiki Smith in conversation with Kathleen Morris, Sylvia and Leonard Marx Director of Collections and Exhibitions and curator of decorative arts at the Clark.
 
This free lecture is given in conjunction with the Clark's exhibition "Wall Power! Modern French Tapestry from the Mobilier national, Paris," and takes place in the Clark's Manton Research Center auditorium.
 
Smith, whose large-scale tapestry "Seven Seas" is the latest work in the "Wall Power!" exhibition, joins exhibition curator Morris in a conversation about how Smith, who has worked in a wide range of materials over her career, became engaged in the medium of tapestry. They also explore Smith's long-standing interest in using printmaking to realize work in other media.
 
Drawn from the celebrated collection of the Mobilier national from the 1940s to the present day, Wall Power! Modern French Tapestry from the Mobilier national, Paris explores the resurgence of the ancient French tradition of tapestry-making, including works by Henri Matisse, Sonia Delaunay, and Kiki Smith.
 
"Wall Power! Modern French Tapestry from the Mobilier national, Paris" is organized by the Clark Art Institute and curated by Kathleen Morris, Sylvia and Leonard Marx Director of Collections and Exhibitions and curator of decorative arts.
 
Support for this exhibition is provided by George W. Ahl III, the Coby Foundation, and Robert D. Kraus. The exhibition catalogue is made possible by Denise Littlefield Sobel.
 
Free. Accessible seats available.

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Q&A Williamstown Fire Chief Looks Back on 37 Years of Service

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff

Williamstown Fire Chief Craig Pedercini waves to the crowd during an Independence Day parade.
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Craig Pedercini can only hope that his retirement party will not be as memorable as that of his predecessor.
 
"The day of Chief [Ed] McGowan's retirement party, which was the 17th of January, we had a structure fire kind of early afternoon if I remember right," Pedercini recalls. "I was here, and I remember running out the door, and Chief McGowan happened to be popping in to say hi or whatever.
 
"I said, 'If you want to talk to me, you're going to need to get in the car because I'm going to a fire.' He jumped in, and we had a fire at what at the time was called the Chimney Mirror motel, which is now the Williamstown Motel. They had a laundry room fire. It wasn't terrible. We went in and put it out pretty quickly.
 
"But it was freezing out. We had water coming out of the truck because the hydrant was pushing so much to us, and the water was skating down the driveway out onto Route 2, and it created this big thing of ice. Having to deal with all that and getting a sander out there to make the road safe again and things like that.
 
"As you can see, I can remember the day and date. That was kind of memorable because it was my first one as a fire chief."
 
But certainly not his last.
 
Of course, he hopes he has had his last fire as the days count down to his retirement after 37 years with the Williamstown Fire Department — the last 22 as its chief.
 
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