54 APRIL 4-10, 2024 westword.com WESTWORD | MUSIC & VENUES | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | SHOPPING & SERVICES | CONTENTS | was at risk of losing its lease. A fundraising campaign announced via social media paid off quickly, however: With donations from the community, the gallery hit its $20,000 goal within fi ve days. Long live Leon! Best Large-Scale Works Black Cube 2925 South Umatilla Street, Englewood blackcube.art The nonprofi t nomadic art museum Black Cube commissions large-scale works that comment on a variety of topics, and the installations it mounted last year were par- ticularly big. For the Cities Summit of the Americas, Black Cube went along with the theme of “Global Challenges, Local Solu- tions” in Pipelines, an interactive installa- tion created from PVC water and sewage pipes by Toronto artists Julia Jamrozik and Coryn Kempster. The most impres- sive installation, however, was Orisons, by renowned artist Marguerite Humeau, which involved 84 sculptures planted on 160 acres of land at Jones Farms Organics in the San Luis Valley. Humeau took years to speak with people in the area and plan the work, resulting in an otherworldly, his- toric masterpiece. Best Surrealist Gallery Ryan Joseph Gallery 2647 West 38th Avenue ryanjosephgallery.com A spiraling realm of psychedelia and sur- realism awaits at Ryan Joseph Gallery, where artists defy traditional expecta- tions in paintings with cascades of color and emotional depth. Micah Ofstedahl, for example, showed a new way of looking at landscapes in works on shaped canvases, but with overlaid geometry twisting the otherwise photo-realist form; Vanessa Le- men contributed glowing oil paintings that dabble in expressionist abstraction while hinting at pre-known forms. Even the por- traits in the most recent group exhibition were imbued with intriguing, surrealist twists, showing that no two artists think or look at things the same way. Best Gallery Exhibit to Set History Straight The Lost Weekend: Photography of May Pang Bitfactory 851 Santa Fe Drive 303-862-9367 bitfactory.net When John Lennon called his relationship with May Pang “the lost weekend,” it re- mained a thorn in her side. The pair had a year-and-a-half-long committed rela- tionship, and she has the evidence to back it up. Pang decided to set history straight with her collection of photographs, which landed at Bitfactory last September in The Lost Weekend: Photography of May Pang. Through candid shots of Lennon during the most productive time of his solo career, Pang showed a man reconnecting with his son, smiling with friends and happily in love. She even took what is considered to be the last picture of Lennon with fellow Beatle Paul McCartney. It was an intimate glimpse into the life of one of the world’s most famous musicians, and laid to rest any misconcep- tions about Pang’s impact on his life. Best Celebration of LGBTQ+ Chicano Culture Amor Es Amor Northglenn Arts Center Parsons Theatre, 1 East Memorial Parkway, Northglenn 303-450-8888 northglennarts.org Pride isn’t limited to one month, and the Northglenn Arts Center and Chicano Council for the Arts and Humanities made that clear with Amor Es Amor, which in- cluded works from twelve Latino and Chi- cano artists, many of whom are also in the LGBTQ+ community. The exhibit revolved around unique narratives, identities and stories of queer individuals. “Queer joy is my priority,” artist Tania Maldonado said, “and seeing a wall full of that art — that is something that all of the oppressive sys- tems and things we are having to combat can’t take away from us.” Best Look Backward Roots of an Era: Mixtape to the Old North Denver Art Scene BRDG Project 3300 Tejon Street 303-808-8912 brdgproject.org Many locals bemoan the loss of old Denver. There’s been a lot of change over the years, particularly in the last three decades, when the city slowly and inexorably moved away from $150-a-month rents for whole fl oors of old warehouse and factory spaces near downtown that artists could fi ll with their own work and that of others. Roots of an Era: Mixtape to the Old North Denver Art Scene at BRDG Project honored that time and all the creativity that sprang from it. The show included works from photogra- pher Mark Sink and other local stalwarts such as artists Phil Bender, Reed Weimer, Arlette Lucero, Jerry Jaramillo and the late Stevon Lucero. Because of efforts like this, the city can honor its artistic roots and cre- ate some fertile soil for new growth. Best Artist Residency RedLine Contemporary Art Center 2350 Arapahoe Street 720-769-2390 redlineart.org Artist residencies are a vital part of the artistic community — personal creative think tanks meant to support artists in their development with the time and space to work. RedLine offers the best opportuni- ties in Denver: full two-year residencies for up to eighteen emerging local artists, who get fully subsidized studio spaces and “the freedom to explore and experiment without commercial constraints.” Those who receive the residencies also receive mentorship, career development, promo- tion and the opportunity to work in close proximity with a supportive peer commu- nity during their time at the center. If that sounds much like what some of the best collegiate art pro- Arts and Entertainment continued from page 50 continued on page 56
