On August 9, 2014, the Aspen Art Museum (AAM) will open its doors to the public for the first time on the corner of Hyman Avenue and Spring Street. After 35 years occupying a former hydroelectric plant, this contemporary, non-collecting art museum is making a big move just a half mile away. Rather than reappropriate another structure, the new Aspen Art Museum has been completely redesigned and built from the ground up.

Current home of the Aspen Art Museum. Image courtesy of the Aspen Art Museum.

The museum’s present building on North Mill Avenue was originally constructed in 1888. It is a local historic landmark that cannot be torn down or remodeled, which means there is no room for growth. The time came to enlarge the museum to accommodate more exhibitions and expand programming, as well as relocate to a more centralized and visible area in town.

Shigeru Ban, a Japanese architect known for his humanitarian projects using non-traditional, recyclable materials, was unanimously chosen in fall 2007 by an AAM Architect Selection Committee to design the new museum. Ban has been recognized internationally for his beautiful, environmentally sustainable, and charitable constructions for decades, but his recent award of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, the highest honor bestowed upon a living architect, has done much to boost his profile to the public at large. This is a huge boost for AAM’s ever-growing profile as well, especially because this will be Ban’s first permanent museum in the United States.

Blueprints and visual diagrams of Shigeru Ban’s design for the new Aspen Art Museum inside the Turner Construction offices.

I had the privilege to take a hard-hat tour of the new building with AAM’s Nancy and Bob Magoon CEO and Director, Heidi Zuckerman Jacobson, along with AAM Project Manager, Mike O’Connor. With only a little over a month to go before the completion date (exhibition installation begins in mid-July), the site was a hotbed of activity with teams of construction workers occupying every nook and cranny of the three-story building and rooftop.

Model of new Aspen Art Museum. Photo by Tony Prikryl, courtesy of Aspen Art Museum.

There are five main architectural elements that define this structure:
1. The Grand Staircase, which dominates the east side of the building
2. The “moving room” also known as the Glass Reception Elevator in the northeast corner that gives passengers views of the inside and outside of the building
3. The wooden screen that wraps and weaves over the exterior on the north and east sides
4. The undulating wooden structure that partially covers the rooftop terrace
5. “Walkable” skylights on the roof and lower skylights in the galleries that allow people to see through part of the floor

Construction taking place in the museum on May 23, 2014

We entered the site on the south side, ground level, which is where two galleries, an education space, visitor services, bookstore, and on-site artist apartment/studio will be located. The second floor will have the largest gallery space and lounge area, a library, and the administrative offices and board room.

The third level has a café and allows for rooftop access to the sculpture garden. These wavy trusses, which do not require metal joints, support the roof and partially cover the rooftop garden.

There is a floor below ground, too, which will contain two more gallery spaces, the Black box theater, a room for art preparation and conservation, and storage. The image above is a view of the stairs that lead from the lower level to the street level.

View of the Grand Staircase from Spring Street

Integrating the building and the visitor experience with the natural environment is key to Shigeru Ban’s design. For example, the Grand Staircase, which will be enveloped in the screen façade, allows visitors to “climb” to the upper levels and catch views of the town and mountainous landscape outside.

This is the only public rooftop in Aspen and offers fantastic views of Ajax Mountain.

Visitors can take the glass elevator on their “descent” back down the structure, an act that Ban has loosely compared to skiing and snowboarding. In fact the highlight of my visit was being able to ride the elevator with Heidi and Mike the first time it had been officially used. The movement of the elevator will be visible from outside the building, something that will catch the eye of those passing by on the street. The woven façade had not been mounted yet, so I had a clear view of everything gliding up and down outside rather than a “peek-through-the-trees” kind of view I imagine once it is installed.

View of the Grand Staircase from the glass elevator. Platforms will be integrated along the stairs for the display of three-dimensional objects.

I mentioned to Heidi how there is an implied sense of ascending and descending the structure like a mountain. She replied with an anecdote that Ban shared with her in regard to this idea. According to Ban, if a man were to encounter a pebble on his path, the decision to either move the pebble and continue or leave the pebble and change the direction of his path depends very much on his cultural mindset. In America, where people will go wherever they darn-well please, most would likely kick the pebble out of the way. In other words, it is impossible to dictate a person’s trajectory within a museum environment. I thought this was an interesting perspective, one that flows with the AAM’s mission to have the artwork be the focus of the experience and guide visitors rather than have the architecture determine the journey.

Architectural rendering of the third level with rooftop. Image courtesy of the Aspen Art Museum and Shigeru Ban Architects.

AAM’s status as a non-collecting institution is a significant aspect to its mission, and is one that will be enhanced with the opening of the new building. I asked Heidi how this building will influence the museum’s approach to and scope of exhibitions, and she said that it will allow them to show larger exhibitions, allow for more travelling exhibitions to be integrated into the schedule, and they will be able to show more exhibitions simultaneously. Furthermore, the galleries will be outfitted with movable partitions in order to adapt to the needs of various types of artwork and alter the look of the space. While collecting museums dedicate massive amounts of space (and time, money, energy, etc.) to the storage of objects, many of which never even get exhibited, all efforts at the AAM will focus directly toward the presentation of art.

Even though the AAM does not purchase and collect artwork, it is very much engaged with living artists and finding ways to generate and disseminate new and original art into the public. For example, Dikeou Collection artist, Margaret Lee, is currently participating with the museum as a Photographer in Residence. Over the next few weeks she will visit Aspen and create new commissioned photographs in association with the new building. These photographs will be released throughout the year, beginning with the grand opening of the museum in August. To quote Heidi, “We are a non-collecting institution, but we do ‘collect’ and share our unique experiences of working with artists in unexpected places and ways; this approach allows us to further extend these aspects of our institutional culture.” By putting artwork into the public realm, it will entice people to enter the space of the museum.

The final exhibition at the original home of the Aspen Art Museum will feature work from Brazilian artist Ernesto Neto, who is also the AAM’s 2014 Aspen Award for Art honoree. The inaugural shows at the new Aspen Art Museum will feature an exhibition pairing Yves Klein and David Hammons. Shigeru Ban will be honored with an exhibition, Humanitarian Architecture, which will feature architectural models and will also be accompanied by a catalog published by AAM. Other debut exhibits include Cai Guo-Qiang, Jim Hodges, Tomma Abts, and Rosemarie Trockel.

Architectural rendering of the museum’s main entrance on Hyman Street. Image courtesy of the Aspen Art Museum and Shigeru Ban Architects.

People walking along the street in front of the museum will be able to catch glimpses of these shows through the interstitial spaces in the wooden screen, a subtle “come closer” gesture the building creates through its most noticeable architectural feature.

Image courtesy of the Aspen Art Museum

For those interested in more details about the new Aspen Art Museum, including the construction process, the project team, timeline, and much more, visit the ”New Building” section of their website. There are high quality photos and videos of the building process that capture new developments every week, and profile some of the individuals involved in the construction.

Heidi said that Shigeru Ban is still highly involved with the project and comes to Aspen on a monthly basis to check on progress. He visited the Monday following my visit, and, according to Heidi, it went very well. Ban was recently quoted saying that the new Aspen Art Museum is “my great step forward in my career as an architect.” This is a bold statement for someone who has accomplished so much and impacted many lives over the course of his career. The Aspen Art Museum marks a new chapter in an already impressive legacy. 

-Hayley Richardson

Dikeou Pop-Up: Colfax occupies what was once Jerry’s Record Exchange, a notable spot along East Colfax Avenue that contributed to the colorful culture that populates this legendary strip. Devon Dikeou visited the vacant shop on her last trip to Denver, and knew right away that it was the perfect location for a new pop-up gallery.

The work of a few artists has been on the installation waiting list, but the shifty lights, torn laminate floors, and other forms of structural deterioration within the space would be most accommodating to the provocative and ephemeral creations by Lizzi Bougatsos. The grand opening was set for Friday, April 18, 2014.

She arrived from New York on Thursday afternoon. I met her and Dikeou Collection Director, Saniego Sanchez, in the parking lot behind the pop-up. While shaking hands she says I look really familiar and asks if we’ve met before. I tell her no. “You sure? You ever come to New York?” We make our way inside.

Five of Lizzi’s pieces are installed at Dikeou Pop-Up: Colfax, along with an additional piece, an ice sculpture, which was exhibited at the opening and will be recreated on special occasions.

Pussy For Rent, 2010
Self-Portrait, 2012
Happy Ending 2, 2012
Good Hair, 2010
Dick Toss II, 2012
In God We Bust, 2010

“This is great. This is so rad,” she said as she investigated the space. She hadn’t seen many of these pieces since they were exhibited at James Fuentes about 4 years ago. It was then suggested that we peak downstairs in the basement.

We made our way down the rickety rainbow staircase and found ourselves surrounded by graffiti, album covers glued to the ceiling, and random household objects scattered on the dirt floor. Lizzi loved it. This underground abandonment, stained with a sense of youth, was a very happy place for her.

As we emerge from the basement she asks again, “Are you sure we haven’t met? At James’?” I tell her I’ve only been to his gallery once, to which she replied, “I’m there all the time. It had to have been there.” At this point we all decide to make a quick stop at the Denver MCA to see Rashid Johnson’s show and have a drink at the rooftop bar. On the way to the museum she tells us how she was Kim Gordon’s date to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony where she got to meet Stevie Nicks and Emmylou Harris, and attend the Nirvana after party. Just some of the perks of the rock’n’roll lifestyle. Dinner at Domo Japanese Country food restaurant, museum and garden rounded out the evening.

This picture is from inside the small museum, which is part of a dojo, at the restaurant. Lizzi said Japan is one of her favorite places to travel to because of the food and culture. “This place is my jam,” she said as we left for the night.

The weather was beautiful the next day, perfect for a journey to Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, just 30 minutes outside of Denver. This is one of the most revered performance venues in the world, so naturally Lizzi took the stage with three construction workers on backup.

We journeyed down the road a bit and found this colorful little niche. Here’s Lizzi and Saniego posing with some rock art.

Lizzi couldn’t get enough of the great outdoors. We couldn’t hang around too much longer, though, because it was time to get ready for the opening of Dikeou Pop-Up: Colfax!

Green glow emanating from In God We Bust. To the left is a peak at Dikeou Collection’s extensive vinyl record archive (over 8,000 LPs and 45s). The records originally came from Jerry’s Record Exchange, and are now available for pop-up visitors to explore and listen.

Lizzi was the DJ for the night and played tunes from the archive.

The next day Lizzi hosted an artist talk at the pop-up. She said it was challenging to discuss some of these works because they were made several years ago and her thoughts and process have changed. Pieces like Happy Ending II and Self-Portrait are more representative of the direction she is heading with her art. Her recent interview with zingchat covers a lot of what she expressed during the talk.

No trip to Denver is complete without a visit to Dikeou Collection, especially now that Lizzi has been officially inducted into the clan. Here she is with Momoyo Torimitsu’s Somehow I Don’t Feel Comfortable in her Easter Sunday dress.

Dikeou Collection would like to extend a big thanks to Lizzi for traveling to Denver for the opening of Dikeou Pop-Up: Colfax. It was such a treat to spend time with this talented artist and introduce her work to the Denver art community.

Dikeou Pop-Up: Colfax is located at 312 East Colfax Ave. and is open Wednesday through Friday, 11:00-5:00. The “Fresh Jazz and Crisp Vinyl Series” featuring the Jean Luc Davis Quartet will happen there on Friday, May 16 at 7:00 PM.

-Hayley Richardson

April 28, 2014

’Hope, Thanks and the Unforgiving Literary Series’ is one of Dikeou Collection’s longest running public programs. Poet, author and playwright Robert Snyderman has been coordinating this program, which occurs on a tri-monthly basis at the Dikeou Collection. The most recent installment was on Friday, March 28, and featured readers Lisa Donovan, Aby Kaupang, Matthew Cooperman, and Adam Fagin.

Dikeou Collection Director Saniego Sanchez welcomes the audience

Robert Snyderman, the coordinator for the literary series, introduces the readers.

First reader, Adam Fagin, used an original audio component to his reading.

Matthew Cooperman integrated audience participation into his reading.

Audience gabs during intermission

Cocktail weenines, anyone?

First order of business when visiting Dikeou Collection: get a pic on Wade Guyton’s “The Room Moved, the Way Blocked”

Reader Lisa Donovan

And last, but not least, Aby Kaupang.

Thanks to all our readers and attendees for another great night! More photos can be seen on Dikeou Collection’s Facebook page. If you would like to know more about current events at Dikeou Collection, email info@dikeoucollection.org and we will add you to our contact list!

-Dikeou Collection

March 31, 2014

In zingmagazine #22, Adam Mendelsohn addresses questions of originality and invention in the visual arts in his curated project “Chicken Shit.” By presenting side-by-side images of works by artists like Jennifer Bolande and Harold E. Edgerton, and William Anastasi and Carl Andre, it is easy for one to observe the striking visual similarities that exist between artworks that were created years apart from one another.

Another example of this parallel was brought to our attention when an exhibition at Venus Over Manhattan caught the eye of an astute observer/close friend of Dikeou Collection and zingmagazine. What stood out to this individual was the uncanny resemblance of artist Charles Harlan’s use of the metal rolling gate in his installation “Ishtar” to that of Devon Dikeou’s security gate installations dating from 1989 to 1991. Dikeou has exhibited her gates at Ihara Ludens and Paula Allen. “Ishtar” will be on view at Venus Over Manhattan until March 22, 2014.

As noted by Mendelsohn, this situation is not uncommon in the art world, and is in fact a very important theme within the entire span of art history. What is important to remember is that while works by different artists may look alike, rarely do they carry the same meaning and intent for each artist, as that is something that cannot be replicated.

“That people reach similar, sometimes identical conclusions independently of one another is something that happens with regular frequency. In science this is called multiples. This fact is almost never celebrated. In art, as in science, it’s almost always about who got there first – like landing on the moon. …
… What remains truly rare over time is invention. Innovation is the constant but invention is much trickier ground. Where invention is credited and where it comes from is almost a total mystery.”

- Excerpt from “Chicken Shit” by Adam Mendelsohn, zingmagazine #22

Devon Dikeou, “Security/Insecure” (1989), exhibited at Paula Allen

Devon Dikeou, “Security Kiosk” (1990), exhibited at Ihara Ludens 

Charles Harlan, “Ishtar” (2013), currently on view at Venus Over Manhattan until March 22. 

Charles Harlan, “Roll Gates” (2012), at Socrates Sculpture Park 

See more of Devon Dikeou’s body of work at www.devondikeou.com 

Be sure to see Harlan’s “Ishtar” installation at Venus Over Manhattan in NYC before it closes this weekend. More of his work can be seen online at www.charlesharlan.com

-Hayley Richardson

March 17, 2014

Myopia, or nearsightedness, is a common ailment where one can clearly see objects up close, but the surrounding environment is out of focus. This condition prevented Mark Mothersbaugh from fully seeing the world around him until he got his first pair of glasses at age 7. While most kids would dread the old four-eyed look, Mark reveled in his new visual surroundings and began his journey into art.

While Mothersbaugh is a highly recognized figure in the world of music, his dedicated and extensive engagement in the arts has remained somewhat unknown to the public. The success of his band Devo allowed him to share some of his creations - posters, album covers, costumes, and music videos - with a big audience, but it was still just a partial glimpse into a much larger, richer world of creativity beyond the Devo lens.

This world culminates into what is now “Mark Mothersbaugh: Myopia,” the first retrospective exhibit of the artist’s work now on view at the Denver Museum of Contemporary Art. Conceptualized by the artist and MCA director Adam Lerner in 2011, “Myopia” is the second exhibition to occupy the entire museum (Fred Sandbeck being the first in 2011).

The first floor introduces the viewer to Mark in his college days at Kent State, where he soaked in the waning Beat culture and linked up with Jerry Casale and Bob Lewis to form Devo.

The personal artwork presented consists of Mark’s journals, published works, and small drawings, and then there are all the visual ephemera from Devo. Photographs, posters, multiple video screens, album covers, fan club newsletters, stage props, music playing in the galleries…there is a lot to digest in this area. But the sensation of being engulfed in this creative-savant’s mind almost seems necessary at this stage in the exhibition experience because it prepares the viewer for more delirium ahead.

Booji Boy: Devo, May 1978, photo by Bruce Conner.

A funhouse mirror at the foot of the stairs in the lower level creates a stretched and warped reflection of Nu, poqodi! (just you wait!). Around the corner in a darkened room, glowing light emanates from Ruby Kustard and Postcard Superhero Series #001.

The pink swirl on Ruby Kustard is made from the world’s largest ruby crystal and is meant to poke fun at the fine jewelry and art industries. Funny comment to make in one of the most indulgent exhibitions I’ve seen in recent times, but dwelling on details like that takes the fun out of it.

Motherbaugh’s myopic condition triggered an early fascination with visual anomalies, particularly mirrored images, and the upper level gallery exploring this theme is quite beautiful. The double-ended Scion doesn’t exactly flow with the Victorian-era images that fill the room, but again, the focus is on fun, which is definitely achieved with this piece.

Beyond the room with the musical birdcall sculptures and animated doormats, adjacent to the grassy gnome village, is the gallery that holds what lies at the heart of Mothersbaugh’s artistic practice. Since his early Devo days, Mark would draw on postcards and send them to friends and family while on tour. It became a daily goal to draw one, or maybe ten, postcards a day until he reached 30,000. These postcards are available in binders for visitors to page through and explore.

For as enjoyable as this entire exhibition is, this final display offered a welcomed sense of calm at the end. Mothersbaugh shows a range of styles in these drawings, from brightly colored and highly detailed, to monochrome and minimalist. It is these small drawings that provide the foundations for the much grander pieces like the musical sculptures and psychedelic paintings, and it is comforting to know that Mothersbaugh engages in this humble practice every day.

“Mark Mothersbaugh: Myopia” is on view at the Denver MCA until April 12, 2015, and is expected to travel to The Grey Art Gallery at NYU, the Contemporary Arts Center at the Cincinnati Art Museum, and The Minneapolis Institute of Arts. If this show hits your city or somewhere nearby, definitely take the time to see it.

-Hayley Richardson

November 26, 2014