A Beacon of Art
The esteemed museum that calls Hudson Valley home
The Dia Museum is a cultural center of international acclaim, containing carefully curated exhibitions from artists both famous and niche. Its patrons come from all over the world to witness its unique collections of paintings, sculptures, fabric art, and more. But the Dia, which is nestled between the Hudson River and the town of Beacon, is focused on more than collecting esteemed art — it’s dedicated to bringing artistic enrichment to the community at large.
The Dia Foundation, which has organized and funded dozens of sites since its founding in 1974, created Dia Beacon in 2003 by transforming a defunct Nabisco box-printing factory into a spacious architectural beauty, solidifying it as one of America’s largest homes for contemporary art. Its high ceilings, massive windows, and large open rooms help the museum create detailed exhibitions that don’t feel crowded, making the space perfectly conducive to Dia’s goal of providing an in-depth look at individual artists’ work. With installations from famous artists such as Andy Warhol and Dan Flavin, one may be surprised it calls the Hudson Valley home over more populous cities like Manhattan. Employees and patrons alike stress that this only adds to the museum’s impact.
“It really is about accessibility,” says Ari, who works the front desk of the museum. “That’s part of why this was founded.”
Ari has first hand knowledge of how a community-focused art center has a unique ability to support local artists and art-lovers. Ari cites their experience with the Dia Teen Program as the beginning of their journey to become more knowledgeable about art, and praises the museum for the opportunities it provides local residents. This includes a nearby community of artists that are housed with discounted rent, which is subsidized by the Dia Foundation. This alleviates the financial concerns that artists sometimes face, allowing them to better focus on creating new projects and honing their craft. This also gives them the opportunity to live and work amongst other artists, often putting on exhibitions that allow them to view each other’s work and feature their own.
“[Dia’s artist housing] does a lot of galleries and art shows, like constantly. It’s very much an art area,” they explain.
The Dia’s artist-focused mindset shows in more than their programs, but in the collections themselves. Instead of gathering as many works as possible, Dia focuses on cultivating exhibitions that take a deep dive into the works and motivations of each carefully selected artist.
Take the Mario Merz exhibition for example. The collection contains ten sizeable works created by the 20th century Italian artist, each placed thoughtfully in a large hallway bathed in natural light. The space they’re given shows that each piece commands respect in its own right — but the cohesive design of the collection is what gives attendants an understanding of the artist’s style and inspirations.
One may notice that each piece combines organic and inorganic elements. Moreover, when one takes a closer look, a pattern reveals itself. Whether in spacing, form, or incorporation of numbers, Merz consistently utilizes the Fibonacci sequence in his art. The Dia provides further insight via laminated guides available in the room, as well as their website. This kind of consideration of not only the viewer’s experience, but their understanding and participation, shows how the Dia Museum is focused on making art accessible to all.
“I thought that famous museums were only really in cities,” says patron Valeria Corral, a native of Chicago. “It’s cool that this place is in the middle of the Hudson Valley, but people have come to see it from all over the world.”
“Like, RM was here,” she laughs, referring to the BTS member that documented his trip to Dia on Instagram. “That’s famous famous.”
Those who are interested in seeing these exhibitions can travel to 3 Beekman St. or visit the Dia website for more information.
