The Local newsletter is your free, daily guide to life in Colorado. For locals, by locals. Sign up today!
Because we live in colorful Colorado, we spend a lot of time encouraging people to get outside—and offering specific ideas for where to go and what to do. But sometimes the mercury rises a little too high, and all we want to do is cool down with A/C. Here, five upcoming art exhibits that are worth a short break from the sun.
The Buoyancy of Nothing
Through June 20, Walker Fine Art
Four contemporary artists, including wildly intriguing mixed-media artist Sabin Aell (her piece, entitled “The Buoyancy of Nothing,” is pictured above), are part of this Golden Triangle gallery’s summer lineup.
Creatures From Left Field Installation by Dorothy Tanner
June 4–30, Lakewood Cultural Center
For the first time, acclaimed sculptor Dorothy Tanner‘s light sculptures are being exhibited as an exclusive installation. (The artist moved her studio to Denver in 2008.) The free-standing sculptures and wall hangings are crafted from acrylic and LED lights. Bonus: Tanner is collaborating with David Taylor, artistic director and choreographer of the Zikr Dance Ensemble, on a ballet entitled The Lady of the Lake, which will premiere on June 6; the dancers will carry hand-held light sculptures made by the artist.
Alec Soth: Colorado Dispatch
Through November 29, Denver Art Museum
Reminiscent of Depression-era documentary projects, photographer Alec Soth seeks to create a true record of contemporary life. This exhibition is filled with images from a 2013 road trip through the Centennial State. Locals may recognize some of the landscapes, but more importantly, they’ll see the culture and values of their home through Soth’s lens. (Pictured, right: Alec Soth, West of Sterling, 2013. © Alec Soth)
Ansel Adams: Masterworks
June 13 to August 30, Foothills Art Center
Golden is the perfect setting to display 47 of this world-renowned photographer’s famous landscapes. Known as “The Museum Set,” many of the pieces were personally selected by Ansel Adams as a “succinct representation of the best of his life’s work.” Visitors will be treated to something else special, too: The FAC worked with the geology department at Colorado School of Mines to have students study the photos and determine the geological and environmental forces that crafted the represented landscapes; that information will be included in labels and interactive activities within the exhibit.
Andrew Baird: Beautiful Chaos
June 19 to July 12, Mirada Fine Art Gallery
Drip painter—and fifth generation Coloradan—Andrew Baird uses a stir stick to meticulously layer drips of paint until a portrait or other scene emerges on the canvas. His large-scale works need to be seen in person to be fully comprehended.
Bonus Event: On Saturday, June 13, the Golden Triangle Museum District and Denver Art Dealers Association galleries are hosting a guided tour of five Golden Triangle galleries. The lineup includes Gallery 1261, Walker Fine Art, Goodwin Fine Art, William Havu Gallery, and Sandra Phillips Gallery; as you walk and view, enjoy a lively discussion on collecting art, from how works are priced to tips on starting your own collection. The tour starts at 1 p.m. RSVP by calling Walker Fine Art at 303-355-8955.
—All images courtesy of the respective galleries
Discover more ways to enjoy summer in Denver at 5280.com/summerguide.
