While in the Berkshires, I took a field trip to MASS MoCA – the western Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art. The building is a huge old factory and warehouse with water flowing around deep in concrete troughs, like a moat.
On exhibit right now, there is an installation by Jenny Holzer, which consists of a huge concrete beam-ceilinged room with several giant bean bags spread out all over the floor. From each end of the room, huge words are streaming from projectors, and the illuminated words pour over all of the dark room’s surfaces. We entered the installation from the industrial-sized freight elevator, which was a stunning way to walk into this kind of experiential art. Below are several shots I took of the installation, entitled, Projections (copyright Jenny Holzer):
The museum was very cool! I loved exploring the architecture as much as all of the exhibits. There is an inspiring energy in the mountainous Berkshires that makes it a perfectly suitable backdrop in which to experience the arts. It is home to the Williamstown Theater Festival, and lots of other summer theater as well. Out in the fresh summer air, it was easy to take in and process some heady fine art, and really relish the experience.
Last Look: Here is an upside-down tree pot, outside the museum.
