Vincent van Gogh was born in the Netherlands in 1853 and lived there during his formational years as an artist. He briefly attended the Academie des Beaux Arts in Brussels and moved around the Netherlands, immersing himself in the lives of the peasants that he painted. In 1886, he moved to Paris, where he met Claude Monet and Camille Pissarro through his brother Theo, who ran a successful art dealership. He moved to southern France in 1888, where the bright sun and rich landscapes further inspired his vibrant use of color.
Claude Monet moved to Paris in 1862 and worked in and around the city for the beginning of his career, briefly moving to his family home in Normandy in 1867 due to poverty. In 1870 he moved to London to escape the Franco-Prussian War. He moved to Giverny in 1883 where he spent the rest of his life creating and painting his elaborate flower garden. Facing poverty most of his life, Monet traveled extensively in order to find new subjects to paint and widen the range of appeal for his prospective buyers.
Key piece to look for: Waterlilies, 1904
The DAM is publishing a blog series that will highlight some of the artists whose work is on view in Passport to Paris. We will share a little about the artist’s biography and inspiration, and details about a key artwork in the exhibition. Check back to learn more about Paul Cézanne, Édouard Manet, Berthe Morisot, Claude Monet, and other superstars of French art whose work is on view in Passport to Paris.
Paul Cézanne worked primarily in Aix-en-Provence, in the South of France. He became a painter only after much disagreement with his father, who encouraged him to study law and banking. Although he regularly spent short periods in Paris, he spent most of the rest of his life in Aix and nearby L’Estaque, where he painted scenes from the surrounding countryside.
Key piece to look for: House in the Country, 1877-79.
Conocí a Rita Flores de Wallace a pricipios de la década de los años 1990 en el Museo de las Américas, durante una visita, guiada por ella, de una exhibición relacionada a la celebración del Dia de los Muertos. Me impresionó mucho su conocimiento de esta tan importante tradición Mexicana, pero también su forma tan cálida y accessible con la que compartió la exhibición con nuestro grupo. Casi inmediatamente después de que concluyó su tour, la invite a que formara parte del –en ese entonces- pequeño grupo de guías de los programas en español del Denver Art Museum.
Perhaps no one will miss Nick Cave: Sojourn as much as five-year-old Pascal Spangenberg. On September 22, the final day of the exhibition; Pascal and his mother Tara were the last visitors in the gallery. As they were leaving, Tara reminded Pascal that this was their last visit. Pascal, though sad, remained positive and said, “there’s still one Soundsuit left- it’s me!”
At Nick Cave's June 29 Untitled performance young artist Pascal Spangenberg shared his very own Soundsuit and designs with the artist. I’m overjoyed to say that the story of Pascal and his Soundsuits does not end there.
Last month we hosted our first round of Tactile Tables in the Cover Story textile gallery. It was such a delight to finally watch visitors touch and interact with these objects, after months of planning. The development tactile programming is unique; here is a peek into the process.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to work with an internationally acclaimed artist? Are you an actor, model, make-up artist, or otherwise highly motivated performer? Artist Kent Monkman is looking for skilled individuals to participate in his upcoming performance Casualties of Modernity premiering at the Denver Art Museum October 18, 2013. See the position descriptions below.
Romantic Sculpture:
Update: Click here (PDF) for Untitled #60 (Signature) program. RSVP on Facebook.
Untitled #58 (Getup) at the Denver Art Museum on June 28 included a performance from the vivid imagination of artist Nick Cave, whose work is currently on view in the exhibition Nick Cave: Sojourn. A number of choreographers and local dancers collaborated with Cave to bring his works to life through dance. The performance also included a demonstration by the artist of his process for creating his signature Soundsuits.
The Denver Art Museum was a hive of activity on June 28 during the final Friday Untitled event. We had just finished an incredible performance lab featuring artist Nick Cave, three local dance companies, 15 community performers, an improv music group, and a DJ. For me, the most memorable moment of the night happened as things were drawing to a close.