Mass MOCA

Slowly the depressed downtown of North Adams,in the Northern Berkshires is emerging as an ever more vibrant mix of galleries and shops. This trend has been led by Gallery 51 a venue of the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.

Since 1998 Richard Criddle has been the Director of Fabrication and Art Installation for the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art. His own fantasy, figurative assemblages are currently on view in the museum's Kidspace.

In the past few years Mass MoCA has presented major installations by the leading Chinese artists, Cai Guo Qiang and Huang Yong Ping. The current exhibition presents a diverse group of Western artists inspired by visits to China and encounters with a rapidly changing economy and culture.

If all goes according to plan in April gallerist Ralph Brill will light up a section of the Hoosic River between the Eclipse Mill and Mass MoCA in North Adams. He is involved in the development of a World War II Museum that would become the Northern Berkshires' "Fourth Museum."

For the third year the New England School of Art & Design is hosting the annual exhibition of winners and finalists of the Stephen D. Paine Awards named in memory of a prominent Boston collector and supporter of emerging artists. The Paine Awards are organized by the Boston Art Dealers Association (BADA)

While not a "best" and "worst" list in the usual sense we offer an overview of events and what proved to be moving and insightful while covering the arts in 2007.

Negotiations for the Contemporary Artists Center to develop a permanent home in the former Notre Dame church property in North Adams ended in acrimony and finger pointing. It is a serious loss and set back for an emerging but struggling arts community.

There may be snow covering Mount Greylock but at Mass MoCA it's Surf's Up with the screening of the Classic Endless Summer launching a new Green film series over the next few months.

Jacob's Pillow Dance Company has announced that it will present a special two week residence and performances by the Bill T. Jones/ Arnie Zane Dance Company of the work Chapel/Chapter starting on June 23 before the usual opening of the summer season.

The most remarkable experience of the recent visit to Italy was the exhibition "Artempo: Where Time Becomes Art" at the Palazzo Fortuny. Also the final installement of reflections on the Venice Biennale 2007.

Having finally resolved a year long stuggle with Christoph Buchel Mass MoCA has cleared that clogged gallery and installed "Projections" by Jenny Holzer which will be on view for the coming year.

The French and British have been knocking heads across the channel since 1066. Here were compare and contrast the work of two women, Tracey Emin representing Great Britain and Sophie Calle in the French pavilion. Let the games begin.

The array of holiday treats taking place in the Berkshires has grown, and is more eclectic than ever.

Now in its third year the North Adams Open Studios has grown to include twenty three venues and nearly a hundred individual artists.

After many years of working in Europe with opera and ballet Karole Armitage has retunred to New York and is touring with a company which visited Mass MoCA in a performance co presented with Jacobs Pillow.

A selection of well know Massachuetts painters and winners of MCC Awaards are on view in North Adams at Gallery 51 of MCLA.

When we visited the artist Stephen Hannock in his Berkshire studio several works were nearing completion including a view of the Oxbow for the Bowdoin College Museum of Art and a landscape for the 25th anniversary of the Sundance Institute.

Having earned a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering the North Adams based artist had his first one man show in 1984. There is a large installation of his paintings and sculptures currently on view at the Eclipse Mill Gallery.

In reponse to Friday's Federal Court decision in favor of Mass MoCA the artist Christoph Buchel filed an appeal. But today the museum has announced that it will trash the unfinished work immediately to make way for an installation by Jenny Holzer to open as soon as possible.

Originally scheduled to open last December Federal Judge Michael A. Posner ruled yesterday that Mass MoCA may indeed open the unfinished exhibition of Christoph Buchel in its largest gallery. Did the museum simply prevail in a no win situation? The jury is still out.

The Northern Berkshires arts community gathered at Mass MoCA to celebrate the life of Joe Conway who was killed in a head on collision with an alleged drunk driver which also injured his partner, gallerist, Kurt Kolok.

The volunteers, the deficits, the sniping from the sidelines: You have to expect it when you are biggest target. The BSO's Berkshire summer of 2007 lends itself to parody, speculation and reminiscences.

An eclectic array of possibilities makes this the richest Fall arts season yet.

For the past three summer seasons Roger Rees and the Williamstown Theatre Festival have collaborated with the Clark Art Institute. Last night Rees read a selection of letters by Claude Monet.

Now in its fifth season in Hudson New York the Nicole Fiacco gallery was founded with a mandate to present Native American art.