Du Iz Tak?

Many artists in the Denver Art Museum collection use their imaginations to create works of art.

Take a look at The Bloom of the Corpse Flower, a painting created by Simphiwe Ndzube, a Los Angeles-based artist from South Africa whose artwork takes many forms including murals, paintings, and collages. Simphiwe Ndzube has imagined a colorful universe that combines South African histories with the fantastical, including myths and stories from his childhood, play, magical creatures, heroes and villains, and art historical references.

This book invites readers to imagine the dramatic possibilities found in even the simplest backyard. Author Carsen Ellis’s work is also inspired by art history and mysticism.

Prompting Questions:

• What elements of fantasy do you notice in the story? In the artwork?
• What ordinary places in your world do you want to reimagine?
• Who would be characters in your imagined world?
• What other artworks can you find that have an imagined element?