The Robischon Gallery marked its 30th anniversary last year, but it didn’t have a chance to celebrate. In fact, the LoDo art space managed to pass over earlier milestones as well.
“We missed 20,” said director Jim Robishcon. “We missed 25. And it just seemed like: all right, three decades, how much longer can a guy go? We better do this show now.”
So, before any more time gets away, the gallery, which many local art professionals consider the most important commercial art space in Denver, is celebrating its three decades of existence with an exhibition appropriately titled “30 x 30.”
The gallery asked each of the several dozen artists it represents, such as Stephen Batura, Jae Ko and Tom Nussbaum, to create a 30-by-30-inch work expressly for this offering, which runs Jan. 18-Feb. 24.
Robischon admits that at first he was lukewarm on this approach, which the gallery devised after several previous ideas fell through.
“I kind of winced about it numerous times,” he said, “but when the work started coming in, I had a completely different take on it, because there are fabulous things, just fabulous.”
Showing simultaneously will be “Decades,” an exhibition featuring work by Judy Pfaff and nine other nationally known out-of-town artists who had significant shows at the gallery in the past.
Here’s a look at 10 exhibitions opening through May:
“=Fashion Art: Ascher scarves from post-war England” and “Lucienne Day: The Queen of 1950’s British Textile Design” through Feb. 3, Philip J. Steele Gallery, Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design, Lakewood Zika Ascher and Day reigned as two of the leading figures of mid-century British textile design. More than 40 examples of their classic designs are on view. 303-225-8574 or rmcad.edu
“Realationships: Works of Surreal Inspiration” through March 11, Foothills Art Center, GoldenColorado boasts an unusually rich group of representational artists, such as Bill Amundson, Frank Sampson and Riva Sweetrocket. This exhibition showcases works that push the bounds of realism and explore the multiplicity of human relationships. 303-279-3922 or foothillsartcenter.org
“(new) Disasters of War” Jan. 25-April 6, Singer Gallery, Mizel Center for Arts and Culture Inspired by Francisco Goya’s famous series of prints, “Disasters of War,” curator Simon Zalkind invited 25 regional and national artists to create contemporary takes on the same theme. Among the 22 who responded are Enrique Chagoya, John Hull, Jenny Morgan and Bill Stockman. 303-316-6360 or mizelcenter.org
“Impassioned Images: German Expressionist Prints” Jan. 29-March 9, Hatton Gallery, Colorado State University, Fort Collins German expressionism’s blunt, unflinching imagery reflects one of the 20th century’s most decadent and tumultuous periods. Most of the era’s painters were also master printmakers, as evidenced in these examples from the Syracuse University Art Collection. 970-491-1989 or colostate.edu/Depts/Art/hg/
“2007 Faculty Exhibition” Feb. 1-March 23, University at Colorado at Boulder Art Museum CU-Boulder has perhaps the most highly regarded artistic faculty of any institution in the region. This quadrennial highlights the latest work of these teaching artists. 303-492-8300 or colorado.edu/cuartmuseum
“Yoshitomo Saito: 108 Blue Cranes” Feb. 2-March 17, Rule Gallery With works in the collections of such institutions as the M.H. de Young Museum in San Francisco, Saito is one of the Denver art scene’s most distinguished newcomers. This exhibition will be the first major chance for local viewers to see his contemplative works, which often explore the notion of skin both in the natural and manufactured worlds. 303-777-9473 or rulegallery.com
“Weekend in So Show” Feb. 3-April 1, The Laboratory of Art and Ideas at Belmar, Lakewood Liam Gillick, who divides his time between London and New York, is known internationally for his work as an artist, writer, theoretician and architect. He will construct a stagelike setting for text, videos and other elements conceived during his residency. 303-934-1777 or belmarlab.org
“Like Color in Pictures” Feb. 16-April 15, Aspen Art Museum The art world is once again exploring issues of color. This ambitious show brings together a group of international artists, including Polly Apfelbaum, Tony Feher and Jessica Stockholder, who use “intense, idiosyncratic color” in their diverse work. 970-925-8050 or aspenartmuseum.org
“Roberto Behar and Rosario Marquardt: The Peace Project” March 30-July 15, Museum of Contemporary Art/Denver Both natives of Argentina who reside in Miami, Behar and Marquardt create works that blend art, architecture and urbanism. The duo will create a site-specific installation in the museum’s temporary gallery in a converted commercial space. 303-298-7554 or mcartdenver.com
“Portraits from the Golden Age of Jazz: Photographs by William P. Gottlieb” May 5-June 24, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center After beginning a weekly jazz column in the Washington Post, Gottlieb went on to contribute to such publications as Down Beat. He also took his own photographs, capturing some of the iconic images of the form’s most famous exponents. 719-634-5581 or csfineartscenter.org
Fine arts critic Kyle MacMillan can be reached at 303-954-1675 or kmacmillan@denverpost.com.
