About 2025 Paul J. Cronin Memorial Lecture: John Grade

Join us for the annual Paul J. Cronin Memorial Lecture, featuring artist and sculptor John Grade.

Inspired by changing ecosystems in the natural world, John Grade works with his studio team to sculpt immersive large-scale, site-specific installations. Kinetics, impermanence and chance are often central to the work. Working in a broad range of types of sites is an important priority in order to reach and engage diverse groups of people. Actively engaging people to directly participate in the creation and alteration of the sculpture over time is another important aspect to the sculpture.

Recent and current projects draw inspiration from mountains in Nevada’s Great Basin, highland forests in Guatemala and changing landforms above the Arctic Circle. These projects investigate assisted migration of trees, underground mycorrhizal and fungal networks, changing river systems and ocean currents, earthquakes, and directly engaging forest wildfires and windstorms.

About the Paul J. Cronin Lecture

The Paul J. Cronin Memorial Lecture series was established in 1981 to consider topics broadly focused on changing attitudes towards twentieth and twenty-first century art. The Cronin Lecture series is made possible by a generous grant to deCordova from the Grover J. Cronin.

Light refreshments will be served starting at 6pm. The lecture will begin promptly at 6:30pm.

We are pleased to announce that ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation will be available for the Cronin Lecture. If you or a guest require ASL interpretation, please let us know in advance so we can reserve seats that provide the best visibility of the interpreters. Please email mnelson@thetrustees.org.

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