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Posted: February 10, 2010 |
New Photography Gallery Unveiled at the Denver Art Museum
Diane Arbus - Identical Twins (1966) - Denver Art Museum General Service Foundation Purchase fund
I thought the 7th floor was looking quite nice as a home for Western art, but here's some news on a new photography exhibit opening at the top of the DAM's Ponti building; here's hoping that the warm spring weather brings with it a chance to open the 7th floor's rooftop deck and offer up some Western vista in lieu of the Harmsen collection. - KLH
DenverArts.org April 2009: DAM Reopens 7th Floor for "Creating the West in Art"
(from the press release)
Exposure: Photos from the Vault opens April 30, 2010, in the newly remodeled Anthony and Delisa Mayer Photography Gallery on the 7th floor of the North Building. The renovated space will host the first exhibition of the department of photography at the Denver Art Museum (DAM), featuring a diverse selection from the 7,000-object collection including works by Ansel Adams, Diane Arbus, Chuck Close, Alfred Stieglitz and Garry Winogrand as well as recent acquisitions of work by Henry Bosse, Petah Coyne and Shirin Neshat.
“I had a lot of fun digging to the depths of this exquisite collection to create the debut display,” Paddock said. “We’re presenting a wide range of photos, from portraits and landscapes to abstraction and Surrealism that photo enthusiasts and museum visitors will enjoy. This first installation is a way to say hello to the community and start a conversation about photography.”
The Museum began collecting photography in 1937, adding pieces to many curatorial departments over the years including the 1994 acquisition of the Daniel Wolf collection of 19th and early 20th century American landscapes and frequent donations of contemporary work through the 1980s and 1990s. In 2009, the DAM formed a standalone Department of Photography and brought on veteran curator Eric Paddock to lead the charge in creating exhibitions and collection experiences with the museum’s strong collection of historic and contemporary photography.
Exposure is just the first of the department of photography’s upcoming programs that will include traveling and temporary exhibitions. The Place We Live, a comprehensive Robert Adams retrospective organized by the Yale University Art Gallery, will open in denver in fall 2011. Adams, a Colorado native, photographed the landscape of the American West for more than 40 years. He rose to prominence as part of the photographic movement known as New Topographics which sheds light on manaltered landscapes. His work is inspired by the natural beauty of the world, but also notes the destructive effects of urbanization and population growth. This temporary exhibition will showcase over 200 works highlighting various stages of Adams’ career.
“Forming this new department has allowed the DAM to come to the forefront of photography and actively engage our attentive photography community,” said Christoph Heinrich, DAM director. “We are thrilled to have enthusiastic and dynamic donors who helped realize the DAM’s first photography department and continue to help us be relevant in the local and national photo community.”
Denver Art Museum
100 W 14th Ave
Denver, CO 80204
720.865.5000
http://www.denverartmuseum.org
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Posted: February 02, 2010 |
 Artist's rendition of Donald Lipski's " Psyche (The Butterfly)" planned for the new Auroria campus Science Building addition
One of the cornerstones for the funding of public art in Denver has been the "1% for Art" program, which is more than a nice sentiment: the 1% baseline has been in effect since the original Art in Public Places bill was written into law back in 1977 generating $8.2 million for 435 works of public art.
In the "tough time/tough measures" vein of thought, crafty number crunchers have found a loophole which has allowed new civic projects to come to fruition sans art. An unfortunate casualty has been artist Donald Lipski (best known locally for "The Yearling" outside the DPL) whose recent commission for a sculpture to grace the new Science Building on the Auraria campus was nearly nixed (thankfully Auraria was able to scramble and come up with the funds for an abridged version of the piece.)
The state legislature simply must find a way to stop the madness and secure the funding for public art that the law intended, if not for soul of the residents of Colorado (who need the presence of beautiful things to keep us civilized and sane) then for the quantified financial benefits that the public art program has realized for the state's creative community which employed over 186,000 residents in 2007 (per the Colorado Council on the Arts.) - KLH
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Posted: January 27, 2010 |
Win a Date with Phil Bender!
Deadline for entry is February 5
Winner will be notified by February 7
Photo: Jeff Ball Photography; Mr. Bender's Stylist: Mona Lucero
(from the press release)
Love often begins with a single outing. A special evening together. A "Dream Date."
And so it is with The Love Show. Before it really begins, we wanted to find that "special someone." I wracked my brain to come up with the Art Community's most desirable bachelor, the sexiest, most attractive, most loving, most universally beloved man in Denver's Art Scene.
Of course, that man is Phil Bender.
An icon of the Denver Art Scene, Phil is a founder and defacto leader of Pirate: Contemporary Art. His work is in major collections, including the Denver Art Museum. We all know that Phil Bender is one of Denver's leading artists and most beloved characters. Here's your chance to get to know the Man underneath the legend!
The Dream Date: Friday, February 12, 2010
- 6:00 pm - Phil will pick you up in his exotic vintage sports car and whisk you away to the Navajo Art District
- 6:30 pm - You and Phil will be treated to dinner at Patsy's Italian restaurant, and you'll visit the galleries at 37th and Navajo
- 8:00 pm - You'll transfer into a limo, and proceed to CORE New Art Space
- 8:30 pm - Limo delivers you to the Opening Reception for The Love Show, where you dodge paparazzi and sneer at all the jealous women
- 9:00 pm - You are treated to a free photo session at the PDA Photo Booth, in Anthony Camera's studio, to commemorate your Dream Date
How to Enter:
- Send a short email explaining why you love Phil Bender and why you want to win the Dream Date to:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
. Include your name, address and phone number
- Include a photo of your feet for extra consideration
- Family members, illegitimate children and ex-wives of Phil Bender are not eligible to enter
- There is no age limit for entries. You are never too young to date Phil Bender
- Deadline for entry is February 5. Winner will be notified by February 7
- That gives you a week to buy a new pair of sandals
Special Thanks to: Jeff Ball Photography http://www.jeffballphotography.com and Mr. Bender's stylist: Mona Lucero Mona Lucero Design Boutique http://www.monalucero.com
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Written by Ken Hamel
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Posted: December 30, 2009 |
It's again that time of the year to take a stroll down memory lane and review Denver Arts circa 2009:
Hellos:
- Adam Lerner made a splash at the MCA Denver replacing outgoing director Cydney Payton and bringing his signature brand of in your face arts education (Mixed Taste, Art Fitness Training, B+) to his role as "Chief Animator"
- The Denver Art Museum followed suit, with contemporary curator Christoph Heinrich taking the helm from long time director Lewis Sharp, while still finding time to curate "Embrace," an exhibit that takes on the exotic interior space of the Daniel Libeskind designed Hamilton Building with multiple off-kilter installations that challenge traditional concepts of flat art on straight walls
  Adam Lerner (left); Christoph Heinrich with Vicki and Kent Logan (right)
- The MCA's gain was the Lab at Belmar's loss as the Lakewood institution ended its all too brief tenure with Lerner's departure; I will miss those shuffleboard courts!
- Patty Ortiz was an amazing presence at the Museo de las Americas bringing a seemingly endless slate of nationally significant exhibits that illuminated and then transcended the institution's mission to support Hispanic/Latino programming; she will be missed...
- Gallery T's time on Santa Fe was all too brief, going into indefinite hibernation earlier this year, but director Ron Judish continues working on the gallery's new space; you can keep up with all things T by signing up for Judish's "T-Gram" newsletter
- I could not get enough of Bjorn Melhus "Captain" and "Deadly Storms" videos as part of the "Fuse Box" display space on the 4th floor of the DAM and was saddened to see them go; let's hope there's some type of commitment to video art at the DAM come 2010 (wish list: how about the hypnotic work of Irish video artist John Gerrard which finishes up a run at DC's Hirshhorn in May '10?)
- Denver lost it's claim to being a two newspaper town with the demise of the Rocky Mountain News, and the art community lost the voice and insight of Mary Chandler, the paper's longtime Art and Architecture critic
  Patty Ortiz (left); the defunct Lab at Belmar (right)
- RiNo's Dry Ice Factory showed what can be done to an historic building with the right effort; the space plays host to over a dozen spacious and light filled artists studios, along with a new artist's co-op "Ice Cube"
- Plus Gallery finished the move to an uptown, upscale space that allows gallery director Ivar Zeile the room needed to keep his talented stable of artists happy
- LoDo's Center for Visual Art is closing up shop on Wazee, but will be making the trek south to 965 Santa Fe Drive in 2010
  Dry Ice Factory (left); Plus Gallery (right)
- Denver Arts Week started off a few years back with the high-falutin idea of artists actually getting funded to create site specific installations as part of the event, and while the DOCA dollars unfortunately never materialized, the annual November gathering has hit it's stride and found a pleasant balance between butts in restaurants/hotels and a variety of coordinated gallery openings culminating in a Saturday evening "Night at the Museums"
- Eric Matelski's First Monday Art Talk at Dazzle and the DAM's Last Friday "Untitled" events have acheived multi-year success and continue to provide a fun night out
Also of Note:
- The year kicked off with a flurry of Colorado Abstract activity, the centerpiece being the CVA's "Colorado Abstract" exhibit curated by Michael Paglia and Mary Chandler
- Metro State art and sculpture students' group show "A Motley Effort" was a time capsule back to NYC of the 80s: an abandoned RiNo factory turned into a seemingly endless series of kinetic contraptions and installations showcasing the creativity of Denver's young lions
- Vertigo Gallery on Santa Fe brought forth a string of intelligent installation exhibits including CU student Mathew McConnell, DU faculty Mia Mulvey and LA artist Alvin Pagdanganan Gregorio
- Virginia Folkestad's colorful light installation CURRENT3 at LoDo's Manny's Bridge was a welcome addition to a stroll along Cherry Creek on a warm summer's night
- DIA announced that architect Santiago Calatrava would be leading a major project at the airport
- Local artist and Edge Gallery inspiration Russell McKlayer: 1961 - 2009
Outstanding gallery exhibits of 2009:
Happy New Year and looking forward to seeing you all out and about in 2010! - KLH
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Posted: December 30, 2009 |
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(from the press release)
In his first major administrative move, incoming museum director Christoph Heinrich announced today the appointment of Cathey McClain Finlon as museum president, effective January 1, 2010. Reporting to Heinrich, Finlon will oversee the Museum’s business operations including finance, development, marketing and human resources, while Heinrich will maintain direct oversight of the curatorial and programmatic functions. Finlon was named Interim President by board Chairman Frederic C. Hamilton in April 2009 with the charge of developing a strategic leadership transition process.
“We are fortunate to have in Cathey an experienced leader with a mind for business and a passion for art,” said Heinrich. “Her expertise and knowledge of the community will be an incredible asset in managing the expanded museum complex.”
Finlon, most widely known in Colorado as a business and non-profit leader, has a substantial history with the Denver Art Museum. As a member of the museum’s Board of Trustees from 1994 through 2009, Finlon worked closely with the board and museum leadership to establish the vision for and realize the new Frederic C. Hamilton Building. Finlon also acted as the museum’s first development director prior to her career with McClain Finlon Advertising.
“Cathey did a superb job guiding the Museum through the process of finding a new director, and I’m thrilled that she has agreed to move into a permanent position,” said Frederic Hamilton, the museum’s board chairman. “As a board member, Cathey was a source of great insight and energy and I look forward to working with her in this new role.”
The addition of Finlon heightens the museum’s ongoing commitment to prudent fiscal management and efficient operation, but also enables Heinrich to commit time and energy to program development including collections and exhibitions.
“With the explosive growth in the collection and physical complex in the last ten years, I believe adding the role of president enables the institution to move forward in the most positive way, with simultaneous emphasis on the growing operation and program,” said Heinrich.
“I am passionate about working on big things and the Denver Art Museum is doing big things for arts and culture,” said Finlon. “The chance to help build on Lewis Sharp’s legacy and be a part of the future with Christoph Heinrich is an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.”
As owner and CEO of McClain Finlon Advertising, Finlon ran one of the top 50 agencies in the country and one of the few woman-owned advertising agencies in the United States. She built the business from a small, 5-person shop into a team of more than 200. In its 26 years as a leading agency, McClain Finlon won numerous industry awards and served prestigious clients, including Dell, Sun Microsystems, Qwest Communications and top Colorado resorts. In addition to building her own successful company, she spent ten years in development with the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences and the Denver Art Museum.
Finlon’s commitment to community is as evident in her personal as her professional life. She serves on many leadership boards in Denver, including the Denver Public Schools Foundation and The Children’s Hospital, where she is the incoming chairperson. She also has served in the past as chair of the Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce, the Alliance for Contemporary Art and Junior Achievement, and on the board of the Colorado Outward Bound School and the National Repertory Orchestra.
In 2009, Finlon was inducted into the Colorado Business Hall of Fame and also received the prestigious Leader Award from the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts.
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Posted: December 23, 2009 |
 Plus Gallery director Ivar Zeile recently moved into a new space and is struggling with the down economy along with the rest of Denver's arts community - photo by Ken Hamel/DenverArts.org
Ask most local artists how the economy has been treating them, and the answer is a fairly uniform "rough;" The Denver Post's Kyle MacMillan highlights the challenges faced by local gallery owners as they grapple with the fallout from the lean economy: "In tough times, galleries are up against the wall." From the article:
- Faced with what has come to be called the Great Recession, retail businesses of all kinds have struggled during this past year, but Denver's 120 or so commercial art galleries have been pushed to the edge. "I don't want to name names, but I've had dealers, people who normally wouldn't divulge anything at all, tell me how bad their business is and how down it is, and I think that is something you only hear in extreme times," said Ivar Zeile, owner of Plus Gallery at 2501 Larimer St.
Also see NY Times: A Survey Shows Pain of Recession for Artists
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Posted: December 23, 2009 |
 Michael Chavez, Dana Cain and Gwen Chanzit at the Art District Best of 2009 Gala - photo by Ken Hamel/DenverArts.org
The Art District on Santa Fe is in many ways a microcosm of the Denver Art scene and Dana Cain's inaugural "Art District Best Of" was a chance for the First Friday masses to recognize and celebrate the galleries and studios on Santa Fe Drive between 5th and 10th. Last week's "Awards Gala" was the culmination of a months long process that featured two tracks: public nominations and voting focused on the hoi poloi's take on the best of the best, along with an open exhibit allowing the district's painters, sculptors and photographers a chance to strut their stuff courtesy of jurors Michael Chavez (director and curator of Golden's Foothills Art Center) and Gwen Chanzit (curator of modern and contemporary art at the Denver Art Museum).
Here's a rundown of the 2009 winners as selected by jurors Chanzit and Chavez along with the public:
Juror awards:
- Best in Show 2-D Art: Marie Vlasic
- Best in Show 3-D Art: Dave Seiler
- Honorable Mentions: Anna Kaye and Mark Penner-Howell
Publicly nominated and selected awards:
- Best Solo Show by Colo. Artist: Mark Penner-Howell, "Too Big to Fail" at CORE New Art Space
- Best Solo Show by National Artist: Blake Flynn, "Life in Oz" at Habitat
- Best Curated Show: The Common Box Project, curated by Alicia Bailey and John Common at Abecedarian Gallery
- Best Gallery: Abecedarian Gallery
- Best Studio Artist: Brianna Martray, Fresh Art Studios behind Core at 9th and Santa Fe
- Best Street Art: Handsome Little Devils
Event coordinator Dana Cain also selected and presented the Brandon Borchert Pop Art Award to district favorite Mark Penner Howell; FWIW, my nominations did not rise to the top of the vote but included Colorado's Homare Ikeda at van Straaten (solo show local artist), nationally acclaimed Josh Keyes at Limited Addiction, now David B. Smith Gallery in LoDo (solo show national artist) and Kara Duncan's outstanding slate of shows at Vertigo (best gallery).
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Posted: December 09, 2009 |
 John McEnroe and Susan Meyer at DenMi - photos by Rayna Tedford
If you didn't make it down to Art Basel Miami Beach last week, here is a sneak preview of the DenMi show which will be featured as part of the 2010 Biennial of the Americas here in Denver (photos courtesy of Rayna Tedford.)
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Posted: November 12, 2009 |
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The initial indications were that Denver's Biennial of the Americas was shaping up to become a secret society of outsiders funded by "the City" with an eye toward shopping Denver to the Latin American business crowd (while getting butts in hotels and restaurants.) But a funny thing happened on the way to the Americas: The BECA Foundation (Bridge for Emerging Contemporary Art) has stepped up and offered some much needed leadership (and cash money) to jump start the party through "CURATE THIS! 2010: the world's largest international exhibition of emerging contemporary art and design." Hyperbole aside, there is certainly a sincere effort to get the ball rolling with a call to artists and volunteers. All the info you could possible want is at http://www.curatethis.org with info on New Orleans/Denver based BECA Foundation online at http://www.thebecafoundation.org.
Be sure to follow arts writer Leanne Goebel's take on the Biennial gone viral at http://leannegoebel.com.
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Posted: November 11, 2009 |
 DAM's new Bookstore/Cafe - photos by Ken Hamel/DenverArts.org
One of the big surprises for me at the DAM as part of Denver Arts Week's "Night at the Museums" last Saturday evening was the end of scaffolding surrounding the building (a welcome improvement!), and the unveiling of the new ground floor cafe/bookstore. Marketing 101: make it easy for customers to shop, and with the bookstore being right at the entrance and easily accessed by anyone just bopping in (with or without admission), I'm sure the dollars will be rolling in. - KLH
Click here for some pix of the new look...
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Posted: October 08, 2009 |
Here's some pix from the outstanding group show of installation pieces by Metro State art and sculpture students, curated by Brian Evans and Mathew McConnell.
 photos by Ken Hamel/DenverArts.org
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Posted: September 23, 2009 |
Remember the dearth of local artists invited to participate in the DNC's roster of officially sanctioned arts events sponsored by the office of the Mayor? Local artist Lauri Lynnxe Murphy has a solid inkling, her memory aided by the guerrilla antics of Boom, a hodgepodge of Denver artists who transformed a 24 foot rental truck into a mobile gallery that shadowed the city’s “Dialog City” events from which the locals were unfortunately snubbed as artistic collaborators.
Seeing history about to repeat itself via the indeterminate nature of funding for local artists in the planning phases for Denver's new Biennial of the Americas next summer, Murphy is taking a proactive stance and turning to Kickstarter—a web-based portal for wanna-be arts VCs that matches up "aspiring da Vincis and Spielbergs with mini-Medicis" (NY Times)—as a way of raising funds for her public art project "Strange Fruit" (you can check out her proposed project at: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lynnxe/strange-fruit-a-publicly-funded-public-art-instal.)
Here's how it works: Murphy is seeking to raise $10k to fund the project—an installation commenting on the concept of genetically modified foods causing the plants around us to perhaps sprout eyes or snouts—and has created a Kickstarter proposal that describes the project and invites interested parties to make a donation and secure one of a variety of token gifts from the artist for their pledge (ala NPR begathons, but without the desperate pleading.) Gifts run the gamut from t-shirts to original works of art, but hurry up and pledge, as Murphy has set a deadline of December 14th to raise the funds. - KLH
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Posted: September 16, 2009 |
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Spark Gallery puts out an excellent newsletter "Beyond SPARK" that showcases activities and exhibits that the co-op's member artists are involved in outside the regular exhibition schedule, something I think more galleries should try. Click here to view the Fall 2009 "Beyond SPARK" newsletter online then click on "Join Our Mailing List" to get signed up.
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Posted: September 02, 2009 |
 Denver artist Sabin Aell with 2 works selected as part of the Juried Art Gallery Awards
Part high-brow gallery and part street fair with an ample dose of kitsch, the Denver Modernism show's 4th year was a wonderful diversion with something to please everyone, from lounge hero Richard Cheese, to schlockmeister Charles Phoenix as well selections from some of Denver's top artistic talent. Here's some pix from the 2009 edition of Dana Cain's signature mid-century extravaganza.
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Posted: August 26, 2009 |
 LoDo Lights installation by Denver artist Virginia Folkestad - photo by Ken Hamel/DenverArts.org
Local artist Virginia Folkestad's installation CURRENT3 (part of the "LoDo Lights" series on Manny's Bridge over Cherry Creek) was supposed to come down back in June, but the work is so compelling and such a fixture in the neighborhood that it's run has moved into "indefinite" territory. The interactive light sculpture riffs on the original use of the bridge as a train crossing over the creek via projected images of railroad tracks alongside the markings of modern day pedestrian traffic. As an avid walker and bike rider, it's always pleasant to wander car free zones, and the paths along the creek by Manny's Bridge are among the most pedestrian friendly areas of downtown. Be sure to catch a peek at Denver's answer to Venice canal boats on the water under the bridge most summer nights.
Manny's Bridge and the current LoDo Lights installation by Folkstad can be found a block west of the intersection at 15th st and Wynkoop from dusk to dawn. Click here for some pictures of the installation. - KLH
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Posted: August 14, 2009 |
DAM Roof Repairs, circa 2009 - photo by Ken Hamel/DenverArts.org
Artnet's online feature Aesthetica has an interesting article on the fallout from the tremendous museum boom earlier this decade ("The Museum Bubble") and Libeskind's DAM extension is not spared the wrath of writer Ben Davis who examines some of the fallen. From the article:
"A famously ill-starred case is that of the Denver Art Museum, which built its Daniel Libeskind museum—a shiny deconstructionist cruise ship washed up in the Mile High City—with notoriously over-ambitious projections that it could draw one million visitors a year. The result? DAM ended up operating at a loss, and began laying people off in April 2007, then eliminated its film program and curator in 2008—all well before the general meltdown compelled it to slash its budget by an additional 12 percent early in 2009."
No mention of the MCA which while certainly a success architecturally has struggled with the all too familiar staffing and funding woes faced by the DAM. - KLH
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Posted: July 22, 2009 |
 Dining Suite (1951) and Peacock Chair (c.1920) by Frank Lloyd Wright at the Kirkland Museum
If you were planning on spending Friday morning at the Kirkland Museum, you might want to hold off as the eclectic home to the legacy of Denver artist Vance Kirkland will be closed while the Antiques roadshow crew sets up to highlight the museums extensive Ruba Rombic glass collection. Contrary to popular belief, the Kirkland is home to much more than the legacy of Vance, with an outstanding collection of Art Deco collectibles in addition to a diverse array of Colorado artists, 20th Century decorative arts and Art Nouveau. If you have yet to visit, you are truly missing out on a local treasure.
Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art
1311 Pearl Street
Denver, CO 80203
303.832.8576
Tue-Sat: 11:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sun: 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.
http://www.kirklandmuseum.org
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Posted: July 22, 2009 |
 Flash Gallery at Working With Artists, Belmar
The Lab at Belmar has basically closed up shop, but Working with Artists is still open for business out Belmar way and offers a variety of classes supporting their mission "to inspire the passion for the art of photography." The latest schedule is online at http://www.workingwithartists.org/~worki19/classes.php.
Classes include:
- George Vago: Intro to Large Format
- Charlie Roitz: Spiritual Geometry
- Grant Leighton: Studio Light & Portraiture
- Celene Bridgford: Visual Photographic Storytelling
Working with Artists
445 South Saulsbury
Lakewood, Co 80226
303.837.1341
http://workingwithartists.org
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Posted: July 13, 2009 |
Panorama from the roof of the MCA looking east over the corner of 15th and Delgany - photo by Ken Hamel/DenverArts.org
Despite the seemingly endless horizon of construction cranes in Denver's urban core, at least one project was put on ice due to the weak economy: developer Amy Harmon's Komorebi project has boarded up the pre-sales office and installed the trappings of a real parking lot (the paved kind that charges hourly and tows, not the kind circa 2007 where you leave your car for an hour while visiting the museum and no one noticed!)
But out of the clutches of defeat arises opportunity: Harmon announced last week that she is working with MCA architect David Adjaye and has shifted focus from condos to a "boutique hotel and cultural center" across the street from the MCA. Keep in mind that in addition to the MCA, Adjaye also designed the adjacent residence of MCA's patron saint Mark Falcone, but when one considers the outstanding job Adjaye did of contrasting the two structures (not to mention the likely years it will take to bring the project to fruition), I have no doubt he'll be able to mix it up a bit and create something distinct yet harmonious. And Adjaye certainly has experience with civic buildings, having designed the memorial Stephen Lawrence Centre in Deptford, London among other public works documented in his book Making Public Buildings.
 Vacant lot next to the MCA's "Temporary Contemporary" across from the main building - photo by Ken Hamel/DenverArts.org |
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Posted: July 08, 2009 |
 Artist Tony Ortega at the Cherry Creek Arts Festival - photo by Ken Hamel/DenverArts.org
The Cherry Creek Arts Festival recently wrapped up yet another year, and while I'm drawn like a magnet to the event, the arts and crafts on display are akin to a technically proficient musician delivering a note for note performance sans soul. One would be naive to dismiss these seasoned artists as anything less than first rate professionals creating pleasant work, but there's scant attention paid to uncharted territory, let alone social commentary.
Denver artist and long time CCAF regular Tony Ortega raised the bar on the typical offerings with a series of vignettes featuring Mexican service industry laborers going about their daily routines, but printed on a variety of documents that are part and parcel of the immigrant experience, including Western Union money transfer forms and border crossing declaration documents. The overall experience is somewhat heart wrenching, yet coolly distant, and builds on Ortega's body of work documenting Latino culture through portraits on street posters used to advertise "Gran Baile" events (in the permanent collection at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center) and everyday street scenes of silhouetted folks against the backdrop of graffitied walls (at the Denver Art Museum).
Ortega is on the faculty of Regis University and is celebrating a 25 year relationship with longtime art dealer Bill Havu in an upcoming show at the William Havu Gallery this November. - KLH
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Posted: July 08, 2009 |
Santiago Calatrava's Milwuakee Art Museum Extension - photo by Ken Hamel/DenverArts.org
Denver, already home to a trio of iconic museums from internationally acclaimed architects Gio Ponti (DAM's "North" aka Ponti Building), Daniel Libeskind (DAM's Hamilton Wing) and David Adjaye (MCA Denver) is about to get another world class structure from heavy hitter Santiago Calatrava, the signature architect of Parsons Transportation Group. Parsons is the architectural firm recently selected to complete Denver International Airport's $160 million, 7 year South Terminal Redevelopment Program slated for the area directly south of the main terminal and serving up a new Westin Hotel, the long awaited DIA FasTracks station, an open-air plaza above the station, and an expansion of levels 5 and 6 of the terminal.
Calatrava is a master of more than just the bold steel and cable elements that distinguish his style: he also blends intricate design seamlessly into the rugged structural engineering requirements that his creations demand. Those skills will come in handy as the airport's main "Jeppesen Terminal" is an unequivocal success both aestetically—towering spires humbly mimic the mountains to the west—and from an environmental standpoint—natural light abounds, slashing the need for daytime illumination of the interior space. The existing structure will hopefully give Calatrava inspiration for something that will complement but not overpower a competent architectural equal. - KLH
Click here for some pix I caught while visiting the excellent Milwuakee Art Museum (featuring the signature work of Calatrava) back in 2008...
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Posted: July 08, 2009 |
 Author Joe Abramo, host Eric Matelski and artist Steve Altman - photo by Tim DeMasters
Three years and going strong, Eric Matelski's First Monday Art Talk at Dazzle Jazz continues to be a great night out, a veritable Prairie Home Companion for the art set. The program features poetry, music, and assorted media celebrating the influences of a guest artist culled from Denver's diverse creative community, and culminates in a no-holds-barred interview with questions from Matelski (and the audience) that go beyond the staid to get into the artist's head (and get a few laughs as well.) Congrats Eric, on a commendable milestone and a significant achievement: Happy Anniversary, and here's to a solid fourth year! - KLH
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