While Studio Place Arts Executive Director Sue Higby says all of her Barre, Vermont organization’s presentations are “fantastic, once-in-a-lifetime events,” its multi-venue “On the Planet” exhibition featuring American and Japanese artists (September 1 through 22) promises to leave
a longer than usual lasting impression.
That’ll be especially true in the
case of the installations at the
Historic Quarries at Millstone Hill
in Barre Town, one of the numerous
opportunities you have to experience
made-for-outside-viewing sculpture
throughout New England this fall.
Chris Nelson of Holyoke, Mass., who
participated in the Japanese portion
of the show in Nagoya earlier this
year, visited the Capital Quarry
several times in planning his work,
which utilizes 750 feet of yellow
polypropylene rope that he strung
from four corners of the quarry into
a central underwater point that he
fastened to, and held into place
with, a giant granite rock.
“It activates the entire scene,”
Nelson said. “The ropes echo the
giant cable system still visibly strung
around the sides of the quarry that
were used to haul the rocks out of
the quarry.”
The quarry sits on 1500 acres of
property holding 70 miles of trails
for biking, hiking and walking. Due
to that heavy recreational use, Barre
Place Arts encourages visiting the
works by Nelson, Midori Harima, Jen
Koch and Gregg Blasdel, Sarah Kariko
and Michael Barsanti during planned
events that include guided Tuesday
afternoon tours.
“On the Planet,” which celebrates
the 10th anniversary of the United
Nations Convention on Biological
Diversity, also takes place at the
Flynndog Gallery in Burlington and
three whole floors of Studio Place Arts, which will subsequently host
its 10th Annual Stone Show from
October 5 through November 6.
“As an organization, we are interested
in using the power and beauty of
art to convey important messages
on social issues,” Higby said. “This
show celebrates our environmental
diversity and the need to protect our
environment.”
Vermont has a long history of hosting
great sculpture exhibitions, both
indoors and out. “Barre has many
talented stone cutters; there’s so
much talent tucked into the hillside
here,” Higby said. “Vermont has the
highest quality of granite in the
world for carving monuments and
sculptures, so the best sculptors
in the world moved to Barre and
.jpg)
