MASS MoCA: Mind, Soul, Body

It’s called to me for over 20 years. The Berkshires, a spectacular venue within driving distance of NYC, offers everything my little heart desires. Located in the mountains of western Massachusetts, the region features lively main streets, a thriving farm-to-table food scene, vibrant arts and culture communities, and breathtaking outdoors that encourage getting out and about in every season.
 
For all the times I’ve traveled through Berkshire County, my explorations until recently were limited to towns in the southern region—Great Barrington, Lee, and Lenox. This past spring a friend and I finally ventured north. Despite unrelenting rain, we road tripped through the towns of Pittsfield and Cheshire to our ultimate destination in North Adams, the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA). Since learning of this vast, repurposed complex, MASS MoCA has occupied a prime spot on my bucket list.
 
Arriving, we were greeted by imposing 19th century brick structures comprising 26 former mill buildings. Sprawling courtyards weaved among the buildings, set off by passageways, elevated walkways, and bridges. What began as a home to myriad manufacturing enterprises as far back as the late 1700s and early 1800s has grown into another incarnation of production, one that embraces the making of art and celebration of culture.
 
A Museum Plus…
Absorbing all MASS MoCA presents, you realize its name is somewhat of a misnomer. It’s quite beyond a “museum,” where in addition to hosting large-scale installations that fit comfortably within lofty galleries (250,000 square feet of space, many with natural light flooding in through floor-to-ceiling windows), the complex also features some 75 performances annually. Over the years, visitors have enjoyed programs from contemporary dance and world music, to documentaries, outdoor silent films, and experimental theater. Each September brings the Fresh Grass Festival, a family-friendly event where bluegrass and roots music fill MASS MoCA’s fields, courtyards, and galleries.
 
In 1986, a year after the last industrial tenant, Sprague Electric Company closed, business and political leaders brainstormed on a plan for reimaging this immense and architecturally impressive complex. MASS MoCA was born.
 
Let the Journey Begin
As my friend and I explored this “city within a city” we discovered the present site is also home to a variety of entities, including the Berkshire Eagle newspaper, the Artist Book Foundation, and several health and wellness businesses. The MASS MoCA Store in the museum lobby is a treasure trove of contemporary gifts for every age. Most merchandise is sourced locally.
 
Before taking in the current exhibitions, we stopped at Tunnel City Coffee nestled in one of the brick structures. A soaring ceiling, aged brick walls, and eclectic soundtrack welcomed us. Tall windows helped bring in much-needed light on this overcast day. Within the museum, the Likety Split café is another choice for coffee, along with sandwiches, salads, and ice cream.
 
Finally making our way into the museum, we encountered expansive spaces with oversized windows and enormous freight elevators that pay homage to the heavy machinery once transported during MASS MoCA’s manufacturing reign.
 
From the Current Exhibitions
In the exhibition, Love from Vicki Island, artist Daniel Giordano created jaw dropping sculptures assembled from a true mixed bag of found objects. A large, especially striking piece, called My Scorpio I, is fashioned from such disparate items as licorice, 1970s Husqvarna motocross bikes, cattails, maple syrup, railroad spikes, ceramics, plastic wrap, and deep-fried batter! One is reminded of the alien creatures of 1950s science fiction movies. Selections of masks and smaller works run the gamut from folk art, to futuristic, to grotesque. They evoke humor, fantasy, and eroticism. All invite more than a passing glance. Giordano pays tribute to the heyday of manufacturing, with Vicki Island referencing the now defunct clothing factory founded by Giordano’s grandfather and named for the artist’s aunt. This exhibition evokes a celebration of creative crafts, their resurgence replacing the manufacturing of yesterday.
 
Another celebration of old and new, Deep Water, is the third in a series of rotating exhibitions drawn from a single private collection of music photography. The photographs here commemorate the origins of modern jazz and blues and highlight Black musicians from the 1950s-60s including Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Thelonius Monk, Charlie Parker, and Nina Simone.
 
As a postscript, the exhibition includes photographs of the next generation of musicians, artists, and activists. Featuring those whose creativity was shaped by the jazz and blues of their predecessors—among them, Labelle, Sun Ra, Gil Scott-Heron, and Huey Newton—it describes their journeys, both musical and socially conscious, into deep waters.
 
Otherworldly
A breathtaking exhibition occupying two galleries is the quirkily titled, Memorial to Ice at the Dead Deer Disco, which presents an otherworldly vista of works by Marc Swanson. According to the artist, the purpose of the sculptures and environmental installations is to “explore the relationships between humans, culture, and the natural world.” Swanson explains the inspirations for his work were dioramas found in natural history museums, as well as the writings of Thomas Cole (1801–1848), the Hudson River School painter, on the negative effects of development in the Catskills region. Referencing the disco, the artist comments on the relation to freedom and mourning during the AIDS crisis. When first entering the exhibition, the overall impression is light, airy, sparkly, with cool icy blues and lots of white. After reading the artist’s statements, the partying people in the photos take on a wistful meaning. Close inspection of some of the animals reveal missing limbs, clues attesting to the havoc humans have wrought on the natural world.  
 
Food for the Soul and Body
Before our drive home, my friend and I shared a turkey hoagie from BIGGDADDY’s Philly Steak House, located in the former guardhouse building. With shaved onion, lettuce, tomato, sweet and hot peppers, and pickles, it was a messy affair, but so worth it! Continual rain kept us from dining out in the courtyard. Instead, we brought our lunch across to Bright Ideas Brewing, a microbrewery focusing on locally grown grains and hops. The citrusy and bracing BIGGDADDY’S Belgian Wit Mild was the perfect cooling compliment to the tangy sandwich.
 
So, there it is, a perfect Berkshire day answering my call for art, culture, food, and fun, all wrapped up in an inspiring setting. As the tagline for the Berkshires.org official guide says, “Life is calling.” Yes, it is.