DIA: BEACON
WEBSITE: WWW.DIAART.ORG
LOCATION: BEACON
NEAREST AIRPORT: SEWART INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, 20 MINUTES DRIVE. 1HOUR 20MINS FROM MANHATTAN
There is so much to do within the boundaries on Manhattan that it is hard to imagine a reason to ever look beyond, let alone to cross the Hudson. But I found good reason with visiting Dia: Beacon, the wonderful living monument to American art from the 60s and 70s.
Dia Foundation started in 1974 when gallerists and founders Philippa de Menil, Heiner Friedrich, and Helen Winkler decided to do more by way of realising visionary artistic projects which were either impractically large in scale or unaffordably expensive and, at times, outside the museum or gallery system. Dia have various sites but what was opened in Beacon is really remarkable and the subject of my pilgrimage.
Now, I had heard a lot about Dia: Beacon and I had assumed that it was just the name of the building. I had to get to there to realise that Beacon is the name of a town. Beason has a post-card pretty Americana high-street with wooden signs and indulgent coffee shops selling fresh doughnuts glazed to order with the toppings of your choice. Dia Beacon had worked its magic of transforming this town into a vibrant arts destination but without ironing out its local magic.
The foundation, since 2003, took up residence in a 300,000 square foot old box factory building which benefits from enormous skylights, making it possible to see the work inside in daylight. At the time, it was artist Robert Irwin who was brought in to convert the space and make it fit for viewing art without compromising the industrial architecture. Deciding to maintain their original goal of promoting single artist projects, each gallery space is a site-specific commission permanently installed by the artist. Artists’ works from the 1960 to the present day are immaculately preserved for all to see as the artists intended. But rather than a mausoleum, the space is constantly rejuvenated with special presentations, a programme of exhibitions, guided tours, and café where locals and travellers alike can meet and talk about the art.
It is a great way to see American and international art. A lot of it is of the Minimalist movement but not exclusively. There is now also a presentation of Louise Bourgeois’ sculptures and Laurence Weiner text on the façade. There is a long gallery with the works of John Chamberlin which really makes you appreciate the achievements of this artist in a new light, as well as some good examples of Dan Flavin, quite literally in light. What I really loved seeing was the Richard Serra sculptures at the far end of the building. I suffer from vertigo and they trigger that same feeling when winding through their spiral walls to the empty centres. Rather than list all the artists rooms, here is a link to the floorplan.
