ENGI Dedication at the Denver Art Museum
Basement of the Hamilton Building (Lewis I. Sharp Auditorium)
Friday January 4th, 2008
5:00 PM - Reception, 5:30 PM - Dedication
ENGI by artist Tatsuo Miyajima in the lobby of the DAM Hamilton Building, circa 2007 (during roof repair construction)
Photo by Ken Hamel/DenverArts.org
The grand foyer of the Libeskind-designed Hamilton Building at the Denver Art Museum is an epic, vertigo-inducing spectacle that is graced with a wonderful installation of glowing LEDs commissioned by the Denver Office of Cultural Affairs as part of the city's commitment to public art. The piece, titled ENGI was conceived by Japanese artist Tatsuo Miyajima and consists of 80 LEDs flashing the numbers 1 through 9 (not 0 which does not fit spiritually with Miyajima's concept for the piece) at various countdown speeds throughout the 4 stories of the lobby.
Back in August of 2006, I was able to attend the public workshop at the Colorado Convention Center with artist Miyajima where 80 Denver residents from all walks of life (and Mayor Hick of course) individually adjusted each LED so that it would cycle through the numbers 1 to 9 in a matter of seconds or over the course of a few minutes, depending on the whim of each participant.
Well, for some mystery not addressed in the press release as the piece has been on display for over 14 months, the Denver Office of Cultural Affairs is hosting an official dedication with the artist this Friday (January 4th, 2008) with doors opening at 5:00 PM for "light refreshments" and the dedication beginning at 5:30 PM. - KLH
Denver Art Museum
100 W 14th Ave
Denver, CO 80204
720.865.5000
http://www.denverartmuseum.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Monday, December 17, 2007
CONTACT:
Pauline Herrera, Communications & Marketing Director,
Denver Office of Cultural Affairs,
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,
720-865-4309
DENVER OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS ANNOUNCES DEDICATION OF
‘ENGI’ BY JAPANESE ARTIST TATSUO MIYAJIMA AT DENVER ART
MUSEUM
Public reception January 4
(DENVER) The Denver Office of Cultural
Affairs is delighted to announce the official dedication of Japanese artist
Tatsuo Miyajima’s ‘ENGI’ at the Denver
Art Museum. The
event will take place on Friday, January 4, 2008 from
5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the Lewis I. Sharp Auditorium, lower level of the Frederic C. Hamilton
Building. The
occasion will bring back together the artist and 80 diverse members of the Denver community, who
helped create ‘ENGI’, one of the most celebrated works in the City’s Public Art
Collection. The public is invited to
attend this free event.
WHAT: Dedication
of ‘ENGI’ at Denver
Art Museum
WHO:
Mayor John Hickenlooper
Councilwoman Jeanne Robb
Denver Art Museum Director Lewis Sharp
Artist Tatsuo Miyajima
Project
participants representing diverse cross-section of Denver
Denver Office of Cultural Affairs staff and Commission
Community members
WHEN:
Friday, January 4, 2008
5:00 p.m. – Doors Open/Light Refreshments
5:30 p.m. – Dedication
6:00 p.m. – Viewing
WHERE:
Denver Art
Museum, 100 W. 14th
Ave. Pkwy., Lewis I. Sharp Auditorium, Frederic C. Hamilton
Building, lower
level. Parking available in the cultural complex garage at Broadway and
12th.
Background
For the opening of the Denver Art Museum’s Frederic C.
Hamilton Building,
designed by architect Daniel Libeskind, the Denver Office of Cultural Affairs
commissioned Japanese artist Tatsuo Miyajima to create a major piece of public
art. The work, ‘ENGI’, conceived specifically for the building’s stunning
four-story atrium, was unveiled during the grand opening on October 7, 2006.
Central to the artist’s vision
for ‘ENGI’ was the direct involvement of the people of Denver, making it a truly public piece of
art. On August 9, after a short lecture by Miyajima and brief
instructions from volunteer staff, the workshop to create ‘ENGI’ began.
At the workshop, 80 diverse members of the community each were given a simple
digital LED numeric device, set within a mirror, to adjust for the
artist. The LEDs count from 1 to 9 or 9 to 1. Each participant set
the rate at which their device counts.
The workshop was essential to
give life to Miyajima’s ‘ENGI’. After the workshop, the 80 LEDs, as set
by the people of Denver,
were installed throughout the museum atrium and began counting. The LEDs,
with their different colors—blue and white—and speeds, figuratively display a
microcosm of the city of Denver
and its residents. Visitors stepping into the museum encounter the work
in the atrium, and simultaneously see their own figures and the building
reflected in the mirrors. Through these layers of public participation, a
resonance between the time setters and the visitors emerges and echoes within
the Hamilton Building.
Participation in ‘ENGI’ was open
to all residents of metro Denver,
with the intention to reflect the diverse backgrounds, ideas and individuals
that make up the community. Selection of all participants was made by
artist Tatsuo Miyajima.
For more information on the
Denver Office of Cultural Affairs’ Public Art Program, please call 720-865-4313
or visit www.denvergov.org/publicart.
The mission of the Denver Office of Cultural Affairs is to advance the arts
and culture in the City and County
of Denver.
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