The Koussevitzky Art Gallery (theatre lobby near the box office) is open to the public and offers exhibits by professional artists from the U.S. and abroad. Several shows are mounted each semester. In addition, student art work is exhibited in the Koussevitzky lobby throughout the year.
Monday – Friday
9 a.m – 5 p.m.
Theatre lobby
Visit Koussevitzky to view artist Kate Hamilton's show "Word/Shelter" from Aug. 1 to Oct. 1, 2025.
is a sculptor based in the mid-Hudson Valley. Her practice explores the architecture, experience and nature of garments. The scale of her work ranges from palm-sized to room-sized.
Hamilton's kinetic sculpture has been installed in museums, galleries and alternative spaces (including aloft at the Albany International Airport and underground in the Widow Jane Mine, Rosendale, NY).
In spring 2022, her sculpture installation in Zurich was the backdrop for a concert focused on gender questions and Homer's Odyssey ('He says, She is ....Is she?').
Hamilton's background as a designer, milliner and educator influences her sculptural work. Her costumes, sets and sculptures have been installed in art performances, festivals, operas, and concerts in various places including New York, Berlin, Canada, and Zurich.
A few tangled thoughts.
In this exhibit, I am mixing words with garment sculptures. It is an experiment.
Once I lived in a massive city. One Sunday, the city closed off a busy avenue, preparing for a parade. In the early morning, I went out and walked down this unusually empty street, lined with tall buildings filled with sleeping human beings. As I walked, I had a sudden thought that has been hard to forget: We humans are big as giants and tiny as ants.
Both.
This idea was the germinating seed for the large garment sculptures you see here.
I have learned that garments shelter us and have their own language. They speak of the wearer's identity (age, status, cultural background, etc.) while also protecting (or revealing) the body they cover.
And words ... we use words in many, many ways, but essentially, they clothe human thought and communication.
Earlier this year, I read an odd news report about a mandate from the new administration, that certain words were now 'banned.' Others were to be 'flagged' for concerned attention. There was a long list, over 250 words! A few examples: belong, woman, climate, identity. This list has now grown to about 350 words.
Why were certain words no longer allowed to be used? If they can't be used to communicate ideas, how will thinking survive? How will we solve problems? I decided we needed to try to preserve these endangered words until it was safe for them to return.
And, I've been thinking more and more about the importance of pockets. Pockets in garments give the wearer a place to keep a few things safe. A small place of shelter.: Federal Government's Growing Banned Words List is Chilling Act of Censorship Original list of 250 words in March has now grown to over 350 words. Note: Also, it really does take a village. Thank you to David, Laura, Lisa, Benigna, Hallie, Nina, Tona and Dennis for your support and encouragement.
