Autumn isn’t only the season of pumpkin spice and cooler weather. As the leaves die, Denver’s art scene gets a breath of new life. Both the Denver Art Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art premiere new exhibits during the first week of October. The Vicki Myhren gallery on DU’s campus also opened up a new exhibit for the fall on Sept. 29. Meanwhile, the year-round First Friday Art Walks continue, showcasing Denver’s exciting art districts.
The Denver Art Museum opens a new exhibit on level one of the Hamilton Building on Oct. 2. The exhibit, titled “Glory of Venice: Masterworks of the Renaissance,” brings distinctly Venetian works of Renaissance art to Denver. Think intricately detailed, brightly lit and colorful paintings full of religious themes. The exhibit is not to be missed. Denver has some of the greatest collections of Western and American art, but for obvious reasons lacks many European pieces, which makes this a great opportunity to view Renaissance work usually reserved for larger museums and Europe itself.
The Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA):
Three exhibits open up at the MCA on Oct. 8. First up is “Ladies and Gentlemen Meet the Dramastics” by Nathan Carter. The solo exhibition consists of sculptures, drawings, installations and more that center on the story of a fictional band created by Carter called the Dramastics. Presented in four galleries, the exhibitions showcase supposed colorful milestones in the fictional band’s short, yet legendary career. Opening up at the same time as Carter’s exhibition is “Bodaciousss.” This exhibition is a collection of over twenty artists’ work, described as bold and audacious (hence the title), as well as innovative in the digital age. Much of the work is described as absurd and childish. The last exhibition to open is “Words are Leaves,” by Kim Dickey. by Kim Dickey. Dickey is a Boulder-based artist who is known for her work in decoration and patterns using media varying from ceramics to photography to textiles. The exhibit is the first solo exhibition surveying all aspects of her work.
Every first Friday of the month, Denver’s art districts open up to the community, offering people the chance to stroll in the cool night air and see all of the art Denver’s creatives have to offer. The Art Walk goes from 6 to 9 p.m. and occurs at both the River North Art District and the Santa Fe Art District. The Santa Fe Art Walk is considered the classic Denver art walk and is a busy and fun affair.
People during a past First Friday Art Walk at one of the 70+ galleries. Ruth Hollenback | ClarionOn Sept. 29, the Vicki Myhren Gallery in the Shwayder School of Art at DU opened a new exhibit for the fall: “The Wall / La Pared: Immigration and Identity.” The exhibition, in collaboration with Maruca Salazar of Denver’s Museo de las Americas, showcases the work of contemporary Latino and Latina artists in the classic work of muralism, as well as other media including tattooing and experimental media pieces. The “wall” of the gallery is being used as a counterpoint to the xenophobic nature that the image of a wall brings up in today’s political society.
