The Clark Art Institute is offering a 10 week, Tuesday-Saturday, internship that focuses on the Clark’s summer exhibition, Sensing Place and the ecological, environmental, and philosophical history of Stone Hill (a prominent geologic formation at the heart of the Clark’s campus). Additionally, this internship will help with the management of the Clark’s campus including blazing trails, and developing interpretive materials related to the campus.
Overview:
Any landscape is ephemeral—constantly evolving at the hands of humans or by the course of nature. The land on which the Clark Art Institute now sits has taken many forms since tectonic plates crashed together millions of years ago and mile thick glaciers covered the surrounding hills and valleys. In much more recent history (the last 250 years), its forests were cleared for wood, the land was farmed, and structures were built. In the past 60 years this place has been home to the Clark and even in those 60 years it has seen some profound changes. Throughout, the Clark has maintained a strong foothold in its stewardship of this land. From the iconic view from the Stone hill pasture to the meandering cows that visitors have come to equate with the campus, this is indeed a special place.
This summer the Clark, along with guest curators Mark C. Taylor, Professor of Religion, Columbia University, and Henry W. Art, Samuel Fessenden Clarke Professor of Biology at Williams College, will be presenting an exhibition at the Lunder Center galleries titled Sensing Place: Reflecting on Stone Hill, which will provide the occasion to reflect on the enduring value of place by exploring Stone Hill. In the galleries and out on the trails, the exhibition immerses visitors in the rich natural and cultural history of Stone Hill from its geological formation to the present and examines broader concepts of place through objects linked to Stone Hill as interpreted by artists, writers, philosophers, scientists, and naturalists familiar with the richness of this special place. The exhibition asks, what is the meaning of place? What is the value of place? What makes a particular place special, perhaps even sacred? How do we recover or rediscover places that are “lost”?
In a very real way, our Campus Plan (managed by the Grounds department) works to preserve the place of Stone Hill and its identity, keeping in mind its past, present and future. As part of this internship, the student will be able to explore and learn about the campus, trails, and preservation and sustainability initiatives underway, and help the broader public understand and appreciate what makes this stretch of land unique.
Duties:
Interns time will be split between working with the Clark’s Curatorial and Educational teams and the Clark’s Grounds Management team.
Curatorial and Education duties will include learning and understanding the multifaceted material presented in the Sensing Place exhibition, and using this knowledge to lead themed, ecology focused tours for the public both in the galleries of Sensing Place and on the trails as well as one or two off-site tours of another property located on Stone Hill. The Intern will be interacting with the public, leading VIP tours when needed, and helping to run educational events.
Grounds Management duties will include opportunities to help identify and blaze an updated trail system, examine the relationship with small herd grazing in the pasture, identify interpretive material for the broader public, and learn what it means to be a steward of the land through practical disciplines such as marking impacts in the land by working the land through brush cutting, trail cutting and the like.
To Apply:
Please send a cover letter, resume, and 3 references to the attention of Teresa O’Toole, Curatorial Coordinator, at the Clark Art Institute: [email protected]
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