Bertoia at the President's Fine Art Series

Montana State University, March 2, 2018

JoDee Palin in the Dean's office of Art and Architecture at Montana State University and I began communicating in October 2017. JoDee and I met for coffee and hit it off right away. She is a friendly dark-haired woman with a large presence. When we realized that their theme for the series was art and legacy and that I am furthering my father's legacy, we agreed it was a match.

Having the presentation right in my home town of Bozeman was a real treat. No hotel rooms, figuring out logistics, or dealing with the stresses of travel. The Friday night event was in the lecture hall of the architecture building (Cheever Hall). About 70 students, faculty and community folks gathered in the tiered room. Dean Royce Smith, international curator and art historian, introduced me with gracious words, and we began. Sometimes at an evening presentation after a long week at a university, I notice students nodding off in sheer exhaustion. This was an unusual crowd in that I saw not one nodding head! I took that as a good sign.

Dean Royce Smith, international curator and art historian, introduced me with gracious words, and we began.

It was especially poignant having some of my friends and neighbors in the audience.

I shared my story of Harry, his life, his work, and my relationship to him. It was especially poignant having some of my friends and neighbors in the audience. To top off the lecture was the first Montana showing of the Eger 1971 film, Sonambients; the Sound Sculpture of Harry Bertoia, a 16 minute film of Harry performing and talking in the Sonambient barn.

The footage is really extraordinary, with Harry explaining the origin of his work with sound, and then playing the sculptures in his socked feet. The woman next to me was unable to suppress sounds of astonishment and awe. Some of the participants later told me that they were completely mesmerized by the film. As I watched my father speaking and playing, I could almost smell his shaving cream and feel his gentle touch. The film is wonderful for me; I feel all the love that I had and still have for my father.

Dr. Royce, as they call him, honored me with the department’s exclusive colorful coin given only to those included in the MSU art "family," indicating that if caught on campus without the coin on my person that I would be responsible to buy a round of drinks for those present!

The reception afterwards featured lots of animated chatter, some devilishly delicious chocolate goodies called “Shot in the Dark,” and plenty of libations. We had some sculptures, chairs and jewelry on display, giving those in attendance a chance to play the Sonambient pieces and sit in the chairs. All in all, it was a lovely evening of spreading the word about Bertoia.

Celia Bertoia