For the last six days a friend and I have been touring the east coast visiting museums. By far the most impressive day consisted of a trip to upstate New York's Dia Beacon and Northeast Massachusetts' Mass MOCA. Both of these institutions are set in monuments to the industrial age, industrial factories. Irony can be found in the fact that at one time an assembly line dedicated to the manufacturing of cardboard boxes now houses drawing grids by Sol LeWitt and recessed 20 feet deep steel cubes by Michael Heiser.
These unusual settings for such monumental works pose interesting questions. What impact do these newly formed institutions have on rural communities? Is the art being shown at these institutions relevant to the people of Beacon and North Adams? And who benefits from them - day-trippers from New York City and Boston or the dairy farmer on the outskirts of North Adams?
I married someone from North Adams. I’ve been going there 30 years. Been through the development of MassMoca. MM creates jobs and brings the world to a small town. It opens minds in an old dead mill town. Costs AND benefits but more benefits for one and all. The mayor there fought hard to get it established. He did wonders and didn’t screw up the town in the process. More than I can say for the series of El Presidentes we’ve had in Washington.
Comment by re silc — 2/2/2007 @ 3:30 pm
Hello, I grew up in Newburgh, across the Hudson from Beacon, and I can totally agree with “re silc”, with how Mass MOCA has effected North Adams, The Dia Art Foundation did the same in it’s effect to not only Beacon, but to the Hudson Valley. I also worked at Dia:Beacon for two years, and I am honored that the folks from the Walker Art Center enjoyed it.
Comment by Matthew — 1/9/2008 @ 4:31 pm