Coming Attractions

Looking at the world in a new way

Recommended activities for the coming week

Column by Clarke Reader
Posted 10/23/19

Everybody sees the world in their own way, and communicating that perspective is one of the many things that has kept art growing and connecting with people for centuries. Some artists just see the …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Username
Password
Log in

Don't have an ID?


Print subscribers

If you're a print subscriber, but do not yet have an online account, click here to create one.

Non-subscribers

Click here to see your options for becoming a subscriber.

If you made a voluntary contribution in 2023-2024 of $50 or more, but do not yet have an online account, click here to create one at no additional charge. VIP Digital Access includes access to all websites and online content.


Our print publications are advertiser supported. For those wishing to access our content online, we have implemented a small charge so we may continue to provide our valued readers and community with unique, high quality local content. Thank you for supporting your local newspaper.
Coming Attractions

Looking at the world in a new way

Recommended activities for the coming week

Posted

Everybody sees the world in their own way, and communicating that perspective is one of the many things that has kept art growing and connecting with people for centuries. Some artists just see the world differently than most of us.

In 2009, Michael Paglia and Mary Voelz Chandler chronicled some of those very artists in their seminal work, “Colorado Abstract: Paintings and Sculpture.” The book explored the history of abstract art in the state and looked at contemporary artists who were making a name for themselves in the field.

To mark the tenth anniversary of the book’s publication, the Arvada Center and Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art are hosting a joint exhibition, titled Colorado Abstract +10: A History & A Survey. The History portion is on display at Kirkland, 1201 Bannock St., through Jan. 12, and the Survey is at the Arvada Center, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., through Nov. 17.

Kirkland’s exhibit focuses on two and three-dimensional artworks created by the artists featured in the historical section of the book, which provides visitors a visual history of the style in the state.

“The history of abstraction in Colorado is important because our state has made major contributions to this international movement, and is still making them” said Hugh Grant, founding director and curator at Kirkland Museum, in a statement.

At the Arvada Center, the exhibit is split into two parts — in the Main Gallery there is a contemporary survey of works by artists originally included in the book. In their Upper and Theatre Galleries, additional Colorado artists working in abstraction are displayed.

“We wanted to showcase some of the work that the contemporary artists featured in the book have done in the last decade,” explained Collin Parson, the Arvada Center’s exhibition manager and curator. “We reached out to Paglia and had him select some artists that weren’t able to be featured in the book or are making a name for themselves now.”

The processes on display at the center runs the gamut from traditional to wildly experimental — there is a good amount of paint on canvas, but there’s also spray paint, cast aluminum and even one that was made with a chainsaw. And all these approaches aim to create something with some real power.

“To me, abstract art helps people see the world differently,” Parson said. “Abstract art is going strong and not going anywhere.”

For more information, visit www.kirklandmuseum.org and www.arvadacenter.org/galleries.

Go to prom with the undead

I’m sure prom is still a big event for high school students, but I wonder if it remains the major stepping stone it used to be. But there’s one group that has mainly had their prom experience unexplored - zombies. That injustice no longer goes unaddressed, thanks to Union Station’s Zombie Prom.

Held at the iconic train station, 1701 Wynkoop, from 9 p.m. to midnight on Friday, Oct. 25. And as if the zombie theme wasn’t enough for one event, it’s also a celebration of the 1980s.

The prom will feature music from a live DJ, spiked punch cocktail and a grand prize of a free night at the Crawford Hotel for the best couple of the evening.

Head to www.eventbrite.com to purchase tickets.

‘Silicon Valley’ standout
comes to Comedy Works

The entire cast of HBO’s “Silicon Valley” is pretty unassailable when it comes to generating laughs, but the show’s secret weapon may well be comedian and writer Jimmy O. Yang. His Jian Yang is vindictive, clueless and Machiavellian (sometimes all concurrently) and altogether hilarious.

Yang has also appeared in last year’s “Crazy Rich Asians” and “Patriot’s Day,” and recently released a memoir called “How to American.”

As part of his latest stand-up tour, Yang will be stopping at Comedy Works South, 5345 Landmark Place in Greenwood Village, at 7:15 and 9:45 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 25 and Saturday, Oct. 26. To see one of the funniest people working right now, get tickets at www.comedyworks.com.

Clarke’s Concert of the Week - Wu-Tang Clan at Mission Ballroom and Red Rocks

I can’t repeat the Wu-Tang Clan’s classic introductory line in a family newspaper, but sufficed to say, they ain’t nuthing ta “mess” wit. And in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the album that informed the masses of that fact, the legendary Staten Island group will be performing twice in Denver.

Their seminal debut album “Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)” was released in 1993, and last year the group kicked off an international tour celebrating its release that has finally made its way to Denver.

Wu-Tang will be performing first at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 29 at the Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St. Then at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31 the group will be celebrating Halloween at Red Rocks, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, with underground rap legends Jedi Mind Tricks and Immortal Technique.

Rap doesn’t have a whole lot of elder statesmen still on the road, so this is basically like seeing The Rolling Stones. In other words, do it. Go to www.missionballroom.com and/or www.redrocksonline.com for tickets.

Clarke Reader’s column on culture appears on a weekly basis. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail.com.

Clarke Reader, Coming Attractions, arts, Denver, Arvada, Arvada Center, Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art, Kirkland Museum, abstract art, Collin Parson, music, live music, concerts, Morrison, Red Rocks, rap, Wu-Tang Clan, comedy, Comedy Works, Comedy Works South, Greenwood Village, Jimmy O. Yang, Silicon Valley, Union Station, zombies

Comments

Our Papers

Ad blocker detected

We have noticed you are using an ad blocking plugin in your browser.

The revenue we receive from our advertisers helps make this site possible. We request you whitelist our site.