“Art of the State 2016” is less of an art exhibit and more of an art directory; it contains the names of Colorado’s busiest working artists — a whopping 124 of them.
In that way, the show succeeds in capturing the moment, the ambitious goal implied by its name. The artists on display at the Arvada Center really do rule the scene right now, and many of the works on display already were part of deeper explorations of their talents that have taken place recently in regional galleries.
We’ve seen evocative portraits of football players at the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, and we’ve marveled at imaginative photographs of folded paper at Goodwin Fine Art. There’s a similar familiarity in pieces offered by , Bernice Strawn, Evan Anderman, and others.
If you’re the occasional art appreciator, there’s an opportunity here to catch up. All of the artists above are players whose reputations are sealed, and it’s worth knowing them. You might see something you like and follow it up by attending their next solo show across town.
Anyone who pays attention, though, might feel a sense of deja vu. If you spend anytime on Santa Fe Drive or at RedLine studios or pass through the massive lobby galleries in the skyscraper downtown, you’ll have to look hard for surprises.
There are a few, and they stand out in a crowded field. Jodie Roth Cooper’s architectural sculptures that cut across corners of a gallery alcove test our thinking about space and geometry. flat assemblages of steel and cardboard show a side of the artist we’ve not seen before.
Michael Brohman suspends a singular black column, salvaged from some old building, freely from the ceiling. By disembodying it from a formal structure and taking away its primary function, he imbues the object with a heroic, and unexpected, twist.
There are visceral thrills in “RAT_S,” an interactive video game visitors can actually play. It feels current and youthful and more true than most objects to what’s really happening in an art world that’s going increasing high-tech.
But there’s not much of that. Only a few videos, and not enough pieces that feel programmed via computer rather than painted or assembled by hand. As a complete picture of the state of Colorado art, it feels anywhere from six months to 10 years behind the times.
But as a sampler, it’s solid. There’s no arguing with the lineup, from emerging names such as Jaime Carrejo and to local veterans, such as Mel Strawn and Tony Ortega, it does present a snapshot of who we are and just how much talent we have in these parts.
Ray Mark Rinaldi: 303-954-1540, rrinaldi@denverpost.com or @rayrinaldi
ART OF THE STATE 2016
The Arvada Center presents a survey of Colorado art featuring 124 artists. Through March 27. 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada. Free. 720-898-7200 or arvadacenter.org.
