Denver's Biennial of the Americas

I've thoroughly enjoyed dipping in and out of events related to Denver's Biennial of the Americas over the last month. I didn't make it to the more heavily promoted Roundtable speaker series, but have focused my attentions on the art happenings around town.

"The Nature of Things" exhibition at the renovated McNichols Building is quite wonderful. Westword's Michael Paglia has written a comprehensive review of the artwork there and elsewhere. I've been to several really good talks as part of the speaker series there too.

 I love the whimsical transformation of the outdoor space by Jeronimo Hagerman (see above). Adding the vegetation to the capitals on the building is intriguing from the exterior but also refreshing and engaging when glimpsed from the windows on the third floor of the exhibition. I just wish the McNichols exhibition and talks had been free throughout the Biennial, rather than just during the last week -- I think they would have been so much better attended and as a result provoked much more consideration and discussion.

Civic Center Park looks fabulous. The gardens are amazing this year with creative plant combinations that compel me to pull out my camera again and again.

My favorite Biennial work is the temporary public piece, "1.26," suspended over the street between the Denver Art Museum and Civic Center Park. Janet Echelman has created a netted aerial work that is vaguely interesting by day but phenomenal when viewed at night. My photos don't do it justice so if you are in the area, try to get down to see it some evening soon. (Or see better photos on the artist's website via link above.) The work was inspired by a simulation of the February 2010 Chilean earthquake and speaks to the "temporality and interconnectedness surrounding the 1.26 microsecond shortening of the day that resulted from the redistribution of the earth's mass." Most of the people looking at it last night seemed to think it looked like a jellyfish or a butterfly, but from certain vantage points it has both ethereal and explosive qualities. Truly wonderful. 

Green Spot

This is the collage that I ended up sending to the National Collage Society's Postcard / Small Works Show. Hard to capture in a photograph, but the area above the plant spiral is a piece of dull silver leaf.

It was great to hear that "Green Spot" has earned an award from juror Craig Lucas, Kent State University Emeritus Professor. The award-winning collages, all 4 x 6" format, are posted online here for your browsing pleasure. The show, consisting of about 140 pieces, continues through July 25th at the Mansfield Art Center in Mansfield, Ohio.

I especially like the look of Jaynie Crimmins' piece, "Explosion of Debt," and the thinking behind it. More detailed views of her highly textural collage and encaustic work are on her website.

Above: "Green Spot," 4 x 6," contemporary paper collage on watercolor paper. © 2010, Janice McDonald.

Wabi-Sabi art show at Sync Gallery

I'm happy to have one of my collages juried into the show, Wabi-Sabi: art of imperfection, at Sync Gallery. Juror was Michael Gadlin. I was out of town when the show opened last Friday and can't wait to go visit. The exhibition is on view through July 10th. Sync Gallery is at 878-1 Santa Fe Drive in Denver.

My piece (above) is "Formations," a collage composed of contemporary papers on wood panel, measuring 12 x 12 x 1" (with frame, not shown, it's approximately 14 x 14 x 1"). This collage was definitely influenced by my hiking in Colorado and Utah. 

Posted below is an image taken earlier this month while hiking at Roxborough State Park. I love the monumental qualities of huge rock formations and the way they change as the light moves across them over the course of the day. (To get a sense of scale in this photo, the straight line at bottom is a trail about 9 feet wide.)

For more on Wabi-Sabi aesthetics, check out this article on Learning to See the Invisible.

 

ArtBizBlog surprise

   What fun to receive Alyson Stanfield's ArtBiz newsletter today and discover that she'd featured a photo taken when we met recently at my Rip/Tear collage exhibition. (That's Alyson on the left, me on the right, in front of four collages from the Time & Balance series.)Alyson's website, workshops, and book are great resources. For example, today's issue of her newsletter has an article about driving more traffic to artist's websites.It was great to meet Alyson and have a chance to talk art with an expert for a bit!Thanks, Alyson, for linking to my website in your blog. I'm sure I'll make some new contacts as a result. Thanks also to Elke McGuire for taking our photo.