Disruption: Works from the Vicki and Kent Logan Collection at the Denver Art Museum Opens January 2022

Artists featured in the exhibition push boundaries of contemporary art through disruptive actions.
Gavin Turk's "Camouflage Self-portrait (A Man Like Mr. Kurz)"

Gavin Turk, Camouflage Self-portrait (A Man Like Mr. Kurz), 1994. Silver-dye bleach transparency in light box; 40-1/2 x 40-1/2 x 6 in. Gift from Vicki and Kent Logan to the Collection of the Denver Art Museum. ©Gavin Turk and courtesy Sean Kelly Gallery, New York.

Denver—December 9, 2021The Denver Art Museum (DAM) will present Disruption: Works from the Vicki and Kent Logan Collection, starting Jan. 16, 2022, through 2022. The presentation, curated by Laura F. Almeida, Curatorial Fellow for Modern & Contemporary Art at the DAM, will feature about 50 artworks including paintings, sculptures, photographs, mixed-media works, and several artworks never before displayed at the museum, the majority of which are drawn from the museum’s Vicki and Kent Logan collection and supplemented by a handful of works from the donors’ private collection. This outstanding collection features many works by noted North American and international contemporary artists including Kent Monkman, Yang Shaobin, Zhang Dali, Elmgreen and Dragset, Agustina Woodgate, Glenn Ligon and Jenny Saville. The exhibition is included in general museum admission, which is free for kids 18 and under as well as museum members every day.

“The amazing gift of more than 300 works that Vicki and Kent Logan started more than 20 years ago has helped turn the Denver Art Museum into a powerhouse of contemporary art in the west,” said Christoph Heinrich, Frederick and Jan Mayer Director of the Denver Art Museum. “Disruption draws contemporary stories and narratives from the museum’s collection that was built from this dynamic partnership with the Logans, and also adds four loans from their private collection.”

Pintura amarilla con gráficos caricaturescos en blanco que representan la cirugía plástica

Inka Essenhigh, Cirugía plástica, 1997. Óleo y esmalte sobre lienzo; 66 x 69 pulg. Donación de Vicki y Kent Logan a la colección del Denver Art Museum, 2001.726. © Inka Essenhigh

The exhibition was initially conceived through the lens of the spheres we navigate in our daily lives: the private, the public, the state, the inner space, the market and the imaginary. The works in Disruption question the past, the world today, and the social spaces we navigate—upending political narratives, questioning our rights of freedom and access, subverting notions of identity, contesting social norms, critiquing consumer culture and imagining dystopian alternate realities. These artworks interrupt expectations and unsettle conventions.

Each section is titled by referencing lyrics of former and current popular songs that address these themes throughout the exhibition:

  • “I Need a Private World,” referencing “Private World” by the New York Dolls (1973) with works focused on disrupting societal norms and addressing the complexities of interpersonal relationships
  • “Tell me, who’s watching?” from “Somebody’s Watching Me” by Rockwell (1984), puts a spotlight on military control, surveillance, technological reach into personal lives and power dynamics.
  • “Fight the power,” from “Fight the Power” by Public Enemy (1989). Civic conflicts, issues of human and land rights and protests are central to this section.
  • “Why can’t I be who I wanna be?” from “Hair” by Lady Gaga (2011), explores the concepts of identity and subjectivity.
  • ‘Cause we are living in a material world,” from “Material Girl” by Madonna (1984), presents critiques of dominant economic systems, global trade, and inequality.
  • “It’s the end of the world as we know it (and I feel fine),” from “It’s The End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” by R.E.M. (1987), explores dystopian landscapes—both real and imagined—as well as post-apocalyptic society with significant injustices.
Pintura de un indígena norteamericano dibujando a un hombre blanco desnudo y amarrado

Kent Monkman (cree de la Banda Fisher River), Artista y modelo, 2012. Acrílico sobre lienzo; 59-1/4 x 95-1/8 pulg. Donación de Vicki y Kent Logan a la colección del Denver Art Museum, 2016.287. © Kent Monkman

    The museum will offer a playlist on Spotify of the songs that accompany the visitor experience in the gallery. An additional section of the exhibition will feature works on paper from the DAM’s Logan Collection, curated by adjunct curator Julie Augur.

    “Disruptions embed themselves in a network and continuum spanning time, place, and culture. Working together with Senior Interpretive Specialist Ann Lambson and Senior Curatorial Assistant Caitlin Swindell, the team selected historical images and videos that offer greater opportunities for thematic connections across time,” said Laura Almeida. “We hope visitors will gain a deeper understanding of the ways in which artists challenge norms and push boundaries through disruptive actions.”

    Pintura al óleo abstracta donde se representan cuerpos de bebés llorando

    Yang Shaobin, Sin título, (1999-4), 1999. Óleo sobre lino, 102-1/8 x 141-1/2 pulg. Donación de Vicki y Kent Logan a la colección del Denver Art Museum, 2001.882A-B. © Yang Shaobin

    “Presenting these contemporary works within the frame of challenging stereotypes, norms and systems is a fascinating way for museum visitors to look at art as an agent for social change,” said Kent Logan. “Vicki and I hope these works will create opportunities for Denver Art Museum visitors to reflect on how the concepts of cultural or social norms, surveillance and consumerism show up in their own lives.”

    Disruption: Works from the Vicki and Kent Logan Collection is organized by the Denver Art Museum. The exhibition is presented with the generous support of Vicki and Kent Logan. Additional funding is provided by the donors to the Annual Fund Leadership Campaign and the residents who support the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD). Promotional support is provided by 5280 Magazine and CBS4. Exhibition design provided by Evan Cotgageorge of Denver-based ebc-d.

    Planning Your Visit

    The most up-to-date information on planning a visit to the Denver Art Museum can be found online under the Plan Your Visit tab. Use this page to find details on ticket pricing, parking, public transit options and access information. General admission for museum members is free every day. Youth aged 18 and under, regardless of residency, receive free general admission everyday thanks to the museum’s Free for Kids program. Free for Kids also underwrites free admission for school and youth group visits.

    COVID-19 Protocols

    The safety of DAM’s visitors and staff remains a top priority, and the Museum is continually updating its COVID-19 safety and security protocols based on advice from the CDC and federal and local guidelines. Current protocols can be found at the Plan Your Visit section of the museum’s website: www.denverartmuseum.org/plan-your-visit.

    About the Denver Art Museum

    The Denver Art Museum is an educational, nonprofit resource that sparks creative thinking and expression through transformative experiences with art. Its mission is to enrich lives by sparking creative thinking and expression. Its holdings reflect the city and region—and provide invaluable ways for the community to learn about cultures from around the world. Metro voters support the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD), a unique funding source serving hundreds of metro Denver arts, culture and scientific organizations. For museum information, call 720-865-5000 or visit www.denverartmuseum.org.

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    Image Credits

    Image 1: Gavin Turk, Camouflage Self-portrait (A Man Like Mr. Kurz), 1994. Silver-dye bleach transparency in light box; 40-1/2 x 40-1/2 x 6 in. Gift from Vicki and Kent Logan to the Collection of the Denver Art Museum. ©Gavin Turk and courtesy Sean Kelly Gallery, New York.

    Image 2: Inka Essenhigh, Plastic Surgery, 1997. Oil and enamel on canvas; 66 x 69 in. Gift from Vicki and Kent Logan to the Collection of the Denver Art Museum. ©Inka Essenhigh.

    Image 3: Kent Monkman (Cree), Artist and Model, 2012. Acrylic paint on canvas; 59-1/4 x 95-1/8 in. Gift of Vicki and Kent Logan to the Denver Art Museum. ©Kent Monkman.

    Image 4: Yang Shaobin, Untitled (1999-4), 1999. Oil paint on linen, 102-1/8 x 141-1/2. Gift from Vicki and Kent Logan to the Collection of the Denver Art Museum. ©Yang Shaobin.