While you’re still probably broke from the holiday season, that’s no excuse to stay in and waste your winter away watching Netflix. It’s time to break the DU area rut of either staying in or going to the same places and doing the same activities time and time again and get out into the city. Experiencing all of the culture that the Denver area has to offer doesn’t have to be expensive—in fact, it can be completely free. If you’re looking to pull yourself out of a winter quarter rut, the Clarion has you covered with three fantastic art exhibits that cost absolutely nothing.
Jan. 21- Mar. 27
Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada, CO 80003
Following in the footsteps of “Art of the State: A Juried Exhibition of Colorado” held in 2013, Art of the State 2016 explores the depth and diversity found in Colorado art by displaying 1,434 pieces of art from 511 Coloradan artists, both established and upcoming. The exhibition is held in all three of the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities’ galleries, and awards for Best in Show, 2nd place, 3rd place and other special awards will be displayed with the artwork. This is a great opportunity to see some great art and, better yet, some great Coloradan art.
Through Jan. 30
Artwork Network Gallery, 878 Santa Fe Drive, Denver, CO 80204
The Artwork Network Gallery, a fun space in the Santa Fe Art District that strives to “smash the myth of original art being unattainable and unaffordable,” presents Winter Eclectic, a collection of colorful paintings that features work by Tasashi Hayakawa, Lola Montejo and more. The gallery itself always has very interesting works on display and is one of my favorites on the Sante Fe Art Walk, so you can bet that this exhibit will uphold the Artwork Network’s legacy of great curation.
Through Feb. 27
Museum of Outdoor Art, 1000 Englewood Parkway, Englewood, CO 80110
The Museum of Outdoor Art presents the work of artist Joel Swanson, which will be displayed in all of the museum’s indoor gallery space. The art is comprised of a wide array of media, from sculpture to interactive installations, and explores linguistic and literary theory, specifically technologies of language.
According to Swanson himself, “The works in this exhibition are translations, transformations and transpositions of textual forms; they challenge us to rethink the various ways in which language permeates and shapes our daily lives.”
An alternative option for those looking for something a bit more novel and engaging than the classic visual arts, Polysemic is sure to have art for any taste.
