Norad Mill in North Adams, Massachusetts is home to an assortment of quirky and highly visible businesses. It retains its vintage mill appearance while adding contemporary features, making it a desirable opportunity for businesses and artists to flourish.
Within this winding megalopolis is a bright, clean-lined gallery space, Lapin Contemporary and its sister space, Lapin Curiosities. Cristina Barbedo is the proprietor and curator, bringing a unique focus to the Berkshires art community. Barbedo chooses a distinct array of artworks of all media — a mysterious combination of dignity and volcanic energy. John Gerding’s “Elements” is a good illustration of the relationship between curator and artist, the partnership and common vision immediately apparent.
The light-filled space and polished original natural wood floors have had many incarnations. However, these pristine walls seem to be made for Gerding’s sculptures, ranging from natural, dreamy monoliths to a more compressed, narrative collection. One is greeted by a forest of forms, their placement almost akin to notes on a musical scale. Ranging from the pastoral to the industrial, sculptural combinations are arranged in a kind of visual shell game.