Dia Beacon
Art museum · Beacon ·
Minimalist and conceptual art in a former factory
Minimalist and conceptual art in a former factory
"A contemporary art museum invoked as a comparison point: the reviewer criticizes certain ice cream photography for being staged more like museum installations that belong in an exhibition space of this kind than as appetizing food photography." - Rebecca Flint Marx
"Quaintness defines much of the Hudson Valley, yet Dia Beacon — which overlooks the river about 50 miles north of New York City — is a hulking, muscular presence. Opened in 2003 in the shell of a 300,000-square-foot Nabisco box factory, the museum does nothing to hide its roots. Brick, steel, and concrete dominate, and massive windows flood the old manufacturing floors with natural light. The works on display, primarily minimalist and conceptual pieces from 1960 through today, are appropriately monumental, with each gallery given over to a different artist's vision. Look for John Chamberlain's crushed cars, Dan Flavin's fluorescent light displays, Michael Heizer's pitch-black well-like holes carved into the floor, Louise Bourgeois's menacing spiders, and Richard Serra's intimidating steel behemoths." - Travel + Leisure Editors
"The Dia Art Foundation’s extraordinary space at the old Nabisco box printing factory in the Hudson River Valley is a worthwhile, scenic drive from New York City. The Robert Irwin designed space and gardens make an artful backdrop to the permanent collection of works made after 1960, with entire spaces dedicated to contemporary masters like Richard Serra, Joseph Beuys, Dan Flavin, Donald Judd, and more. The galleries are lit by the light of day that filters in, so opening times morph throughout the seasons."
In a former Nabisco box factory, Dia’s light-drenched galleries showcase giants of Minimal and Conceptual art. Frequently cited by arts critics, it’s a favorite Metro-North day trip with a lively cafe and bookshop on site.
