Dayton Castleman: COIN

Fort Smith Regional Art Museum

March 7 – March 25, 2014

This site-specific installation brings to life a page out of Arkansas history and illustrates the ideas of a unique visionary whose dreams were never fully realized. William "Coin" Hope Harvey (1851 – 1936) was an Arkansas-based teacher, lawyer, politician, writer, developer and prominent businessman who experienced numerous financial achievements and failures. This installation serves as a conduit to the intriguing historical information surrounding Harvey and his final, and most ambitious architectural endeavor that was a Greek amphitheater that remained unfinished on the site of his famous 320-acre Monte Ne resort in Arkansas. The amphitheater was designed as a foyer that would be located at the foot of a 130-foot obelisk named "The Pyramid" that would serve as a warning future generations of the fall of man.

This site-specific installation is a re-creation of Harvey's Greek amphitheater, which incorporates excerpts from three of Harvey's publications: "Common Sense, the "Pyramid Booklet" and "The Book." The amphitheater is positioned in a dark room and lit from its interior. The story behind it plays out like a silent drama, methodically unfolding through the slow brightening and darkening of the space. Words from the scanned pages in Harvey's teachings are projected–and positioned at Harvey's eye level–on the front of the amphitheater and shown in one-hour intervals, communicating his ideas and discontent with the human race.

An opening reception will be held Thursday, March 6th, 5-7PM (Free for RAM members $5 for non-members).

A lecture by Dayton Castleman entitled "Tilting at Giants: Place, History, and the Artist's Imagination" will be held at 6PM on Thursday April 10, 2014 at RAM. (Free for RAM members $5 for non-members).

FORT SMITH REGIONAL ART MUSEUM
1601 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, AR 72901

HOURS OF OPERATION
Tuesday – Saturday 11AM-6PM  
Sundays – 1-5PM

FREE ADMISSION