In Skin Deep, Nick Gentry probes the “chasm between real and online personas.” Working on painted backdrops of outdated technology like floppy disks and VHS tapes, the artist invites questions that are uniquely contemporary, asking about performance and presentation on the internet, increasingly artificial standards of beauty, and the instability of memory over time.

Diverging from his earlier portraits that were more faithful to a subject’s likeness, Gentry’s new body of work is deeply influenced by the virtual. He often paints his figures in grayscale, leaving them devoid of defining characteristics, and uses the tape’s plastic reels to highlight their eyes. This melding of human and machine elicits the cold, detached feeling associated with a cyborg and emphasizes the synthetic, masked nature of online identities. Given the irrelevance of the once-groundbreaking technology, the portraits also speak to the inevitable shifts in importance and how information is stored, shared, and remembered.

Skin Deep is on view through September 30 at Robert Fontaine Gallery in Miami Beach. You can find more from Gentry on his site and Instagram.

“Replicant 3” (2023), used VHS cassette tapes, spray paint, and oil paint on wood, 20.5 x 29.5 inches

“Viewing Figures” (2022), used VHS cassette tapes and paint on wood, 25 x 37 inches

“Skin Deep” (2023), used VHS cassette tapes, spray paint, and oil paint on wood, 45 x 45 inches

“Analogue Montage Number 1” (2023), used VHS cassette tapes, spray paint, and oil paint on wood, 32.25 x 37 inches

Left: “The Fool” (2023), used VHS cassette tapes, spray paint, and oil paint on wood, 10 x 9 inches. Right: “Populous” (2023), used computer disks and oil paint on wood, 37 x 28 inches

“Binary” (2021), used floppy disks and paint on wood, 19 x 32 inches

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article Nick Gentry’s Technological Portraits Broach the Artificiality of Online Identities appeared first on Colossal.

This article is part of the Artnet Intelligence Report Mid-Year Review 2023. Marking five years of our biannual Intelligence Reports, this inaugural half-year edition paints a data-driven picture of today’s art world, from the latest market results to the artists and artworks leading the conversation. Read the full report here.

How Much Fine Art Sold at Auction in the First Months of 2023?

The art market has always been a lagging indicator of the broader economy.¹ But after a prolonged period of exuberance, reality may finally be catching up with it.

• Fine-art sales at auction totaled just under $5 billion between January 1 and May 20, 2023. That represents a 14 percent decrease from the equivalent period in 2022.
•  Experts cite higher interest rates, continued inflation, and ongoing turbulence in financial markets as reasons for the dip—but economic jitters aren’t the only factor at play.²
• After 2020, the auction market experienced a spate of unusually exceptional seasons as pent-up material hit the market from the likes of Harry and Linda Macklowe, Thomas and Doris Ammann, and the late Microsoft founder Paul Allen.³
• That post-lockdown exuberance has leveled off. The number of works coming to auction hit a three-year low in the year’s first five months, and the contraction is most extreme on the high end.

What Price Bracket Contracted Most by the Middle of the Year? 

The vast majority of the market’s tumble can be attributed to a contraction at the very high end. While plenty of works sold in the seven-figure range, the air became increasingly thin above $10 million.

• Sales of art valued at more than $10 million shrunk 51 percent in the first five months of 2023 compared with the equivalent period in 2022.
• Experts say buyers became more price sensitive at the same time that the extraordinary material offered in the wake of the pandemic lockdown began to dry up.⁴
• Art in the $100,000-to-$1 million range performed best. Sales in this segment were up 18 percent year over year.
• Sales of works priced between $1 million and $10 million were up 14 percent. This slice of the market received increased attention in light of the dearth of seven- and eight-figure works.
• The most affordable segment— works priced at $10,000 and under— shrunk 12 percent year over year. Many auction houses no longer consider it cost effective to transact at this low level, according to Caroline Sayan, CEO of the advisory firm Cadell North America.

What Category Was the Most Lucrative Midway Through the Year?

Sales contracted in every category in the first five months of 2023—but some were hit harder than others.

• The biggest decline was in the Impressionist and Modern sector, whose sales plummeted by almost 30 percent year over year. The postwar and contemporary category had a slightly smaller dip of 23 percent.
• The ample supply of top-tier ImpMod material in the first half of 2022 proved a hard act to follow. Driven by valuable estates like that of Anne Bass, sales of work by Claude Monet hit a high of $450.8 million in the first six months of last year.⁵ The Impressionist artist’s work generated just $24 million in the first five months of 2023.⁶
• Ultra-contemporary art, once the fastest-growing category, took a tumble as the froth surrounding the market for young artists began to dissolve. It shrunk by 26 percent year over year.
• The most stable category is Old Masters, whose revenue declined a comparatively modest 6 percent. It remains one of the smallest markets by dollar value, second only to ultra-contemporary (which covers around two dozen years of artistic production, while Old Masters embraces nearly six centuries).

Which Auction House Came Out on Top in the Year’s First Months?

The Big Three auction houses all felt the squeeze in the first five months of the year.

• Christie’s narrowly beat out Sotheby’s in the race for auction house supremacy, generating $8.9 million more in fine-art sales by mid2023. “They are more competitive than I’ve ever seen them,” said art advisor Caroline Sayan.
• Both houses saw revenue decline in the first five months of the year compared with the equivalent period in 2022. Christie’s was down 23 percent while Sotheby’s was down 20 percent.
• Hardest hit was Phillips, which reported $255 million in art sales, a 29 percent dip year over year, after reaching a record high in 2022.
• Note that these figures do not include private sales and indicate total revenue rather than profit— which means they don’t reveal any erosion of the auction houses’ margins caused by deals they may have struck with consignors.

Which Country’s Art Market Is Leading?

The U.S. strengthened its position as the center of the global art market.

• Fine-art auction sales in the United States reached $2.6 billion in the first five months of 2023, down 25 percent from the equivalent period in 2022 but in line with or above the totals from 2021, 2020, and 2019.
• China’s total sales spiked more than 110 percent during the same period. The increase is due more to a schedule change than a wholesale transformation of the country’s market. Several Chinese auction houses, including Poly International and Yongle Auctions, postponed their 2022 autumn sales to early 2023 in order to comply with government lockdowns, boosting the country’s spring results.⁷
• The U.K. market continues to feel the impact of Brexit, with sales declining 27 percent.
• France’s dip in fine-art sales, which follows several years of market expansion, is in part a reflection of a change in the Artnet Price Database, which stopped covering 43 French auction houses this spring because of complications with their catalogues.8The U.S. strengthened its position as the center of the global art market.

How Much Art Sold Online in the First Five Months of the Year?

Now that in-person auctions have fully returned, online fine-art sales are hitting a plateau—but they remain far above pre-pandemic levels.

• A total of $155.⁸ million worth of fine art was sold in online-only sales at Sotheby’s, Christie’s, Phillips, Bonhams, and Artnet Auctions in the first five months of the year. That’s down 5 percent from the equivalent period in 2022 and down 64 percent from 2021, when many high-profile sales had not yet returned to being held in-person.
• • The 2023 total remains more than 300 percent higher than 2019, when online sales generated just $35.5 million in the year’s first five months.⁹ That’s a sign that the market’s approach to virtual sales has changed for good.
• • As live events retake their central place in the auction ecosystem, the average price of a work of art sold online has declined. It is now $17,794, lower than it has been since 2019. This suggests that collectors remain comfortable transacting regularly online, but at an increasingly lower price point.

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New U.S. court documents relating to the heated court battle between art advisor Lisa Schiff, who has been accused of fraud and running a Ponzi scheme by two of her former clients Richard Grossman and Candace Barasch, were made public yesterday, August 24. Some 50 new claims against Schiff, as well as a full inventory of works still in her possession, are among the latest revelations to come to light.

The three documents, which were submitted as evidence against Schiff on August 11, were published by the art market newsletter The Baer Faxt this week. They list works in Schiff’s possession and their value, missing art, and outstanding debt complaints from scores of individuals or businesses.

The most shocking document shows that Barasch and Grossman were not Schiff’s only unhappy customers. Around 50 more claims have been made, some worth as much as $1 million. Claimants named include Mira Dimotrova, senior director of Stephen Friedman gallery; David Schrader, head of private sales at Sotheby’s; Maya McLaughlin Art Advisory; and Frestonian Gallery. Grossman is also seeking a further $2.3 million. An undisclosed sum was claimed by the Internal Revenue Service and over $500,000 by American Express.

Another document lists 894 items, with an estimated market value of £3.1 million ($3.9 million) according to appraisers and advisory group Winston Art Group , that are currently in Schiff’s inventory. These include works by Damien Hirst, Chris Ofili, Michael Craig-Martin, Barbara Kruger, Sterling Ruby, Tracey Emin, and Robert Mapplethorpe, among many others.

Though most of the works are in storage facilities, some are held by galleries Like Gladstone Gallery, High Art Paris, and Bortolami and about 20 are apparently held by Philips auction house. According to the final document, 108 works worth $1.1 million that were assumed to be in the inventory are missing and have “potential third-party claimants.”

Artnet News reached out to Lisa Schiff’s lawyer with a request for comment, but did not immediately hear back.

Schiff is currently facing two lawsuits. The first, filed by her clients and former friends Grossman and Barasch, alleges that she failed to pay the duo $1.8 million ($900,000 each) from the $2.5 million sale of a painting by Adrian Ghenie that she brokered in November 2022. She eventually admitted to them that the money owed was “gone,” and they are now demanding the sum owed, as well as her $250,000 commission, damages, and interest.

It was alleged that Schiff ran a “Ponzi scheme” to fund an extravagant lifestyle, with extensive references to her $25,000 rent in New York, first class international travel, and five-star hotels. Shortly after the complaint was filed, Schiff shut down her SFA Advisory offices in New York’s Tribeca and London’s South Kensington district.

Barasch later filed a second lawsuit accusing Schiff of embezzling $3 million by offering to secure her in-demand paintings and taking the sales commission, taxes, and further fees for crating, shipping, and insurance, before failing to complete the purchase. Fraud, conspiracy, and unjust enrichment were among the many accusations levied at Schiff.

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An 1837 Portrait of an Enslaved Child, Obscured by Overpainting for a Century, Has Been Restored and Acquired by the Met 

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Why Did Yoko Ono’s Arboretum Art Installation in New York Shut Down Early? ‘Unfortunately, Trees Died’ 

LGDR Gallery Splits Up After Less than Two Years as Founding Partner Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn Departs 

Photographers Recreate Old Master Paintings in Witty and Profound Ways in a New Show at a Princeton University Art Gallery 

Blue-Chip Artworks Seized From Top Portuguese Collector Will Be Featured in New Art Museum in Lisbon 

Once Celebrated and Then Forgotten, the French Artist Marie Laurencin Is About to Step Into the Limelight Again, Three Decades After Her Death 

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Kathryn Reid toys with the idea of a nose ring in her collection of muzzle designs, no piercing required. Working from her family farm in Northern Ireland, Reid creates playful, cheeky rings with wrinkled skin and nostrils of common livestock like horses, cows, and bulls. The silver, gold, and mixed-metal pieces are entirely hand-crafted and all based on animals the designer has known personally, including her beloved pup, Theo.

Although the nose rings are currently sold out, Reid frequently shares news about shop restocks, along with glimpses into her process, on Instagram.

Horse

Dog

Dog

Cow

Bull

Cow

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article Beastly Snouts Nose Into Kathryn Reid’s Playful Ring Collection appeared first on Colossal.

If you’re launching a new art fair, Helen Toomer is your woman. Crackling with warmth and seemingly boundless energy, the U.K. native is about as gregarious a leader as any such enterprise could hope for, the polar opposite of arty hauteur. Toomer got her start, fresh out of college nearly 20 years ago, at Ramsay Fairs, the company that runs Volta and the Affordable Art Fair. Now, on the heels of the successful fourth edition of Upstate Art Weekend, which she founded in 2019, Toomer is prepping to direct the inaugural edition of Photofairs New York, a new photo-based fair that will make its debut at Javits Center this September.

Toomer’s new position marks the fourth job she’s held with an art fair over the years. She was the founding director of New York’s Collective Design Fair, spent several years running Ramsay’s Pulse Contemporary Art Fairs in New York and Miami Beach, and most recently did a yearlong stint at the head of the IFPDA Fine Art Print Fair, also in New York.

Meanwhile, Upstate Art Weekend, which celebrates the cultural vibrancy of the Hudson Valley, has grown to include over 100 museums, galleries, and other arts organizations across 10 counties.

At the heart of the festival is Stoneleaf Retreat, the artist residency she founded in 2017 with her husband, Eric Romano—an art-fair veteran himself who runs Space Design and Production, which stages events like the Untitled Art Fair in Miami Beach—at their home in Eddyville, New York. Stoneleaf is dedicated to supporting women artists, a longtime passion for Toomer, who also runs Art Mamas Alliance, a support group for mothers in the art world she founded with Whitewall editor-in-chief Katy Donoghue in 2019.

Ahead of Photofairs’ New York debut, we spoke with Toomer about what to expect from her newest venture, the importance of building community in the art world, and how she manages to wear so many hats while raising Harry, her soon-to-be five-year-old son.

Murals by Lizania Cruz and Macon Reed at Stoneleaf Retreat. Courtesy of Helen Toomer.

What first drew you to the art world?

My mom remembers that I would always hold up my fingers to make a frame, and say, “That would make a good picture.” I always saw things differently than the rest of my family. Then, when I was 14 or 15 years old,  I saw Francis Bacon’s Three Studies for Figures at the Base of the Crucifixion. It just stopped me in my tracks. I felt all the pain from that incredible triptych, and I just felt overcome with emotion. I was like, “I would love to be able to do that.”

I went to art school at the Arts Institute of Bournemouth and I tried to be an artist—but an artist, I am not! But I realized I really enjoyed putting together our end-of-year show in London. It was great to work with my fellow students in figuring out the logistics, curating it, promoting it, and arranging free beer. Something clicked that I got more satisfaction out of organizing than creating as an artist.

How did you get your start in fairs? What drew you to them?

You essentially build a little city in a short amount of time, and it brings a global-focused community together. I’ve always been fascinated by the physicality of it, the production and the layout and the setup—and when the artwork comes in, it’s incredible. You get all the different personalities of the galleries and the artists and the visitors.

Stoneleaf resident Tamar Ettun with her child during Upstate Art Weekend.

I get the sense that your favorite part about fairs is working with the artists themselves. Is that why you and Eric decided to start an artist residency at your home when you moved upstate? 

I just get so excited to be with artists and get insight into their practices—these windows and glimmers they give to us are incredible. To me, artists are truth-tellers. That sounds incredibly cliché, but I believe in the power of what they do.

When we started the residency, our realization was that Stoneleaf was the gift of time and space for artists. Becoming part of their journey and offering continuing support has been incredible. Tamar Ettun, for instance, was part of a wonderful group residency in 2019, and then she came back in 2022 for a family residency. Same with Liz Collins and Rebecca Reeve. Rebecca told me she was actually pregnant when she did her first residency, and then she came back with her child. I love that Stoneleaf can become a continued home if the artists need or want it to be,

Why did you decide to focus on women artists at Stoneleaf? When did you realize that you wanted to provide opportunities for women with children, specifically? 

Coming from an art-market perspective where women are marginalized, I wanted to be able to support them further. My friend Michi Jigarjian—president of the Baxter Street at the Camera Club and curator of the Rockaway Hotel—once said to me, “When you’re feeling overwhelmed about everything that can or cannot be done, think about your corner and what you change in your corner.” For me, that was Stoneleaf.

When I had my son, Harry, in 2018, it was honestly quite a shock to the system. Pre-child, Eric and I were always fighting for the elusive balance. Now I look back and I’m like, Oh, we had so much time then! And now the balance is an illusion.

I realized artist mothers often don’t have the time—or they don’t want to be or cannot be away from their families. So that’s when we decided to open Stoneleaf up to family residencies. And I love that it’s a safe space for families and kids.

How great is the demand for these residency slots? What do you see as the challenges of being a mother in the arts? 

We did applications for an Art Mamas residency, with three slots for a one-week group residency, followed by a one-week family residency for one artist. We had 300 or 400 applications for those four spots, and reading through all the applications was just heartbreaking. The need for artists to have the space to either continue or get back to their practice after having kids is phenomenal. Their time is spent keeping the littles alive, and then keeping the house clean, and then doing their job, and then cooking dinner—and all of a sudden all the hours are gone.

I wish that before I had Harry, people had been transparent with me about what it is to be a parent. You prepare, obviously, but you can’t know what it will be like. It’s brilliant and brutal all at the same time. I had spent my entire life trying not to get pregnant. And then when Eric and I got married, we decided we wanted to have a baby and it took nearly three years. That was really tough. I couldn’t talk to many people about it.

Then after Harry was born, I really struggled. I had an emergency C-section and I wasn’t able to breastfeed. I felt like I failed. But I finally realized I had to be happy and healthy, because my happiness and my health fully impacted Harry. You feel so alone, but there are so many people going through similar things, and if we can help one another, that’s the most important thing. This is one way that Katy Donahue and I really connected.

She had her son six months after I did. I remember seeing Katy post something on Instagram about breastfeeding. I just messaged her to say, “Whatever you’re doing to be happy and healthy is going to make your baby happy and healthy.” And we started talking and being open and honest and it went from there.

Open Studios Event at Stonelead Retreat during Upstate Art Weekend. Left to right: Maya Evans, Tiana Webb Evans, Lora Appleton, Helen Toomer, Marina Garcia-Vasquez, Rebecca Pauline Jampol, Hayley Carloni. Courtesy of Helen Toomer.

Leaving Brooklyn for the Hudson Valley, what were your expectations about the art scene there and how did they line up with reality? How has running Upstate Art Weekend expanded your art horizons? 

I absolutely love being upstate. I think it’s incredible what creativity is up there and has been up there for years. We bought our place in 2016 and started the residency in 2017. And then Harry was born up there in 2018. Before the pandemic, we had decided that we were going to relocate up there full-time. Obviously, the pandemic expedited that process.

Starting Upstate Art Weekend in August 2020 was a response to being isolated and realizing that we have this gift of space. Bringing people together outside, safely seeing each other and seeing art again was incredible. And there are so many people and organizations who were already up there and had been doing great work for years. There are the big names that we know, like Dia: Beacon, Storm King, Olana, and Art Omi, and then also some amazing galleries have been bringing their program there and producing incredible shows, like Alexander Gray, September, and Elijah Wheat. So it’s super vibrant.

Going into our fifth year now is a chance to reevaluate this little project that I made up, thinking about what it is and who it serves. We may need to divide it up, expand it, or do it multiple times. This year has been so crazy busy with all the projects that I’m running that after this fair, I’m looking forward to going inward a bit, refocusing, and being able to take the time to move forward.

Helen Toomer and Scott Gray, CEO of Photofairs. Photograph by Casey Kelbaugh.

Thinking about your new position with Photofairs, what drew you back into the fair world after focusing on Stoneleaf, Upstate Art Weekend, and Art Mamas in recent years?  

I thought I had hung my art-fair hat up! And then I got an email from a friend asking if I would talk with somebody about Photofairs launching a new fair in New York. I always take these kinds of calls, because I can help point people in the right direction

But when I spoke to Scott Gray, CEO of Photofairs, I liked the way that he spoke about what they wanted to create. I liked that it was at the Javits Center at the same time as the Armory Show. And I love this niche of photography. I wasn’t expecting it, but I got off the phone, and my wheels started turning. I thought, “I’m excited to do this!”

I cannot wait for people to come and experience everything we’ve been planning, to walk through and discover some incredible artists and galleries that they may not be connected with yet. Because that’s what I love—the connections. And I think that’s why I always come back to art fairs, because it’s having those connections in real life. It’s having conversations and taking in what we’re all there for, which is ultimately to support artists.

Do you see any specific challenges trying to break into the New York fair market, especially as a dedicated contemporary photo image fair? Why do you think the fair—which started with Photofairs Shanghai in 2014—will succeed in New York in a way that it didn’t in San Francisco, where it held two editions between 2017 and ’19? 

This is the first fair that I’ve worked on that has had a strong international foundation, and that comes with a wealth of knowledge. San Francisco and the West Coast has always been incredibly tricky market. In New York, we know the market here, we know it’s focused, we know it’s concentrated. San Francisco was a great idea to start with, but it didn’t make sense in terms of continuing.

Photofairs has been thinking about launching in New York for years, and they’re very committed to being here for the foreseeable future. I’m excited about the first edition, but I also see it as seed planting, and I’m excited to see how these seeds are going to grow and how these flowers are going to blossom over the years.

What do you think has changed the most about the art-fair landscape since you stepped away from Pulse in 2017, and what lessons from your time there are guiding you in your new role at Photofairs? 

There’s nothing like seeing art in person. I think that art fairs contribute to sales and to the ecosystem for sustainability for galleries and artists. It’s a convening for writers, collectors, and curators, all to come together and celebrate the art that has been made. So the model has been pretty solid throughout the years: pick a great location, make a great floor plan with incredible galleries and artists, and then make sure you’ve invited the right people. That hasn’t changed.

I think people were getting fair fatigue before the pandemic, but after people wanted to get together because we were restricted for so long. It’s more of a celebratory affair than maybe it was before. I also think that people might be picking and choosing a little bit more about where they go, as opposed to running around all the art fairs on the global circuit. But with Photofairs being at the same time as the Armory Show, it feels like kicking off this back-to-school season in New York. I think it’s a win-win.

The Grand Odalisque (2022). Courtesy of Spinello Projects, Miami. ” width=”1024″ height=”682″>

Elliot and Erick Jiménez, The Grand Odalisque (2022). Courtesy of Spinello Projects, Miami.

How do you manage to juggle all your various hats? What does a typical work day (or week) look like for you at the moment? 

The answer is just I just do. I wish I had a magical pearl of wisdom, like “Get up at 4 a.m. and meditate.” But that’s not me. It’s eight iced coffees, a lot of lists, and being on my computer all the time.

This year has been particularly busy, but being at Stoneleaf and being able to work remotely has been great. I can look out and see green. Harry can come home and play after school. But there’s also our proximity to New York City. I’ve been going back and forth a lot, and I love coming in and running around and seeing shows and friends and absorbing the energy.

I’ve been traveling so much that there isn’t a typical day. The only steady things in my daily life are iced coffee, kisses from Harry and Eric, emails, and Instagram.

You have a bit of a reputation as an “art whisperer” for nurturing art and artists in a way that feels really independent from the pressures of the market, which is kind of remarkable considering how much work you’ve done with fairs. How do you square the two?

I am definitely going to add “art whisperer” to my LinkedIn—I love that. it just comes back to loving artists and loving people and listening. Stoneleaf has been a super big part of that. And artists will come to Stoneleaf and say, “This gallery has asked me to be in this group show, but I’ve never done a consignment form,” or “I want to apply to this residency or this job. Can you be a reference?” and I’m like, “Of course.”

I feel fortunate that I am able to be part of their journey. There is no fluff or pretense about me—other than my ridiculous outfits. Being able to have honest conversations and have an exchange of vulnerability has led me to have incredible relationships with artists. I always wish that I could help more because they need nurturing.

I hope that we can always be a resource or a friendly hug for the artists who are part of the Stoneleaf family. And I think that art fairs are part of that community building. They are great for providing a snapshot of the market. Yes, art fairs are part of the market—and rightly so. We want the galleries to make money; we want the artists to make money. But I’m interested in how they build community and support the art ecosystem and the programming is super important to that.

At Photofairs New York, we will have talks every day. There are lots of opinions about photography, digital art, new media, A.I., and we’re bringing all these these different opinions together under one roof. It will be an annual convening with this exchange of information.

Photofairs New York takes place at the Javits Center, 655 West 34th Street, New York, New York, September 7–10, 2023.

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By Cassidy Ritter, Special to Denverite

It’s going to be a busy weekend so let’s jump in!

The Fifth annual La Raza Park Day Festival is happening on Sunday. More details about that here.

If you’re looking for new art, there’s an Affordable Arts Festival in Littleton and Summer Art Market in west Wash Park. Other happenings include a Reggae on the Creek fundraiser for Maui wildfire relief, a used book sale and puzzle and board game swap.

This weekend is also Meow Wolf’s Vortex music festival, which you can read more about here.

Whatever you get up to, make it a great weekend!

Notes: Events with an * are taking place virtually or outdoors. 

Friday, Aug. 25

Just for fun

CIRC Denver Summer Celebration. Re:Vision Art & Cultural Center, 3738 Morrison Road. 4-9 p.m. Free.

*Friday 5 at 5 Book Buzz. Denver Public Library, YouTube. 5-5:15 p.m. Free.

*Friday Night BAZAAR: RiNo. 2424 Larimer St. 5-9 p.m. No cover (general admission), $20 (bottomless Aperol Spritz from 5-6 p.m.).

Swing Nights + Market. Aspen Grove, 7301 S. Santa Fe Dr., Littleton. 4:30-8 p.m. No cover.

Kids and family

Afterschool Friday Fun Day. Green Valley Ranch Branch Library, 4856 N. Andes Ct. 3:30-5:30 p.m. Free. Ideal for ages 5-12.

Magic the Gathering Club. Park Hill Branch Library, 4705 Montview Blvd. 4:30-5:30 p.m. Free. Ideal for ages 12-18.

Comedy and theater

Rocky LaPorte. Comedy Works South, 5345 Landmark Place, Greenwood Village. 7:15 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. $26.

Rotating Tap Comedy. Sunroom Brewing, 3242 S. Acoma St., Englewood. 8-10 p.m. Free.

Eddie Pepitone. Denver Comedy Underground, 1400 N. Williams St. 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. $20.

Arts, culture and media

Traverse. Union Hall, 1750 Wewatta St., Suite 144. Noon-6 p.m. Free.

Eat and drink

Party in the Paseo. Market Station, 1661 Market St. 4-7 p.m. No cover.

Colorado Wine Walk. Blanchard Family Wines at Dairy Block, 1800 Wazee St. 7-10 p.m. $50.

Music and nightlife

*Oakhurst. Levitt Pavilion, 1380 W. Florida Ave. 6-10 p.m. Free. Advanced registration required.

B-Side: Dandu & Ghost Tapes. MCA Denver, 1485 Delgany St. 7-9 p.m. $30.

*My Morning Jacket. Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway. 7:30 p.m. Prices vary.

*Larimer Square Summer Market Series. Larimer Square, 1430 Larimer St. 8-10 p.m. Free.

Vortex Afterparty. The Perplexiplex at Meow Wolf, 1338 1st St. 11 p.m. $25.

Fitness and sports

*Colorado Rockies vs. Baltimore Orioles. Watch on ATT SportsNet-RM, or listen at 94.1 FM. 5:05 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 26

Just for fun

*National Dog Day PAWTY. Bentley’s Pet Stuff, 11225 Decatur St., Suite 600 and 800, Westminster. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. No cover.

Puzzle and Board Game Swap. Park Hill Branch Library, 4705 Montview Blvd. 10:30-noon. Free. Ideal for all ages.

*Douglas County PrideFest. Douglas County Fairgrounds, 500 Fairgrounds Road, Castle Rock. 11 a.m.-11 p.m. No cover.

*RiNo Summer Art Market. RiNo ArtPark, 1900 35th St. Noon-4 p.m. No cover.

Friends Foundation Used Book Pop-Up Sale. Fiction Beer Co., 7101 E. Colfax Ave. Noon-6 p.m. Free.

Reggae on the Creek: Fundraiser For Maui Wildfire Relief. The Golden Mill, 1012 Ford St., Golden. 4-7 p.m. No cover, food prices vary (proceeds will benefit Maui Strong).

Englewood Block Party. Along the 3400 block fo South Broadway Street. 4-10 p.m. Free.

Movie Night: Hayao Miyazaki presents: A boy and his fish princess. Ballmer Peak Distillery, 12347 W. Alameda Parkway, Lakewood. 7:30 p.m. No cover.

Kids and family

*Touch-A-Truck. Brighton City Hall parking lot, 500 S. 4th Ave., Brighton. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Free.

*Summer Art Market. Art Students League of Denver in West Wash Park neighborhood, from East 1st to East 4th avenues to Sherman and Logan streets. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (children 12 and under), $5 (guests 13 and older). All ages.

Rolled Ice Cream Making. Valdez-Perry Branch Library, 4690 Vine St. 11 a.m.-noon. Free. Ideal for ages 5 and up.

Comedy and theater

Rocky LaPorte. Comedy Works South, 5345 Landmark Place, Greenwood Village. 7:15 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. $26.

Derrick Stroup. Denver Comedy Underground, 1400 N. Williams St. 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. $20.

Saturday Night Stand-Up. The Denver Comedy Lounge, 3559 Larimer St. 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. $14.80-$21.

Rotating Tap Comedy. Emporium Brewing, 4385 W. 42nd Ave. 8-10 p.m. Free.

Art, culture and media

Women’s Equality Day. Center for Colorado Women’s History, 1310 Bannock St. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free.

Traverse. Union Hall, 1750 Wewatta St., Suite 144. Noon-6 p.m. Free.

Lumonics Immersed. Lumonics Light & Sound Gallery, 800 E. 73rd Ave., Unit 11. 8-10:30 p.m. $15-$25.

Eat and drink

*City Park Farmers Market. City Park Esplanade, East Colfax Avenue and Columbine Street. 8 a.m.-1 p.m. No cover.

*Union Station Farmers Market. Union Station, 1701 Wynkoop St. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. No cover.

*Cherry Creek Fresh Market. Cherry Creek Shopping Center, 1st Avenue and University Boulevard. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. No cover.

Rosenberg’s Brunch Takeover. Clayton Hotel & Members Club, 233 Clayton St. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. $25 (children), $65 (adults). Advanced registration required by contacting events@claytondenver.com.

*Yappy Hour. Terminal Bar at Union Station, 1701 Wynkoop St. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. No cover.

Pig Roast Fundraiser. Leevers Locavore, 2630 W. 38th Ave. 2-4 p.m. $10 donation (includes BBQ plate with two sides and cornbread).

2023 Denver Summer Whiskey Tasting Festival. Orchid Denver, 1448 Market St. 2:30-6 p.m. Starting at $39.

Music and nightlife

*MUDVAYNE. Fiddler’s Green, 6350 Greenwood Plaza Blvd., Greenwood Village. 5:30 p.m. Prices vary.

Opera on Tap. LUKI Brewery, 14715 W. 64th Ave, Units A&B, Arvada. 6-8 p.m. Free.

*My Morning Jacket. Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway. 7:30 p.m. Prices vary.

Live Music: Johnnie Ireland & Myxotic. Polka Lola Social Club, 1850 Wazee St. 9 p.m.-midnight. No cover.

Vortex Afterparty. The Perplexiplex at Meow Wolf, 1338 1st St. 11 p.m. $25.

Fitness and sports

*Yoga in McIlovy Park. McIlovy Park, 5750 Upham St., Arvada. 9-10 a.m. Free.

*Skyline Flow Rooftop Yoga. The Rally Hotel, 1600 20th St. 9-10 a.m. Free. Advanced registration required.

*Yoga on the Lawn. Levitt Pavilion, 1380 W. Florida Ave. 9-10 a.m. Free. Advanced registration recommended.

Chuze Fitness Grand Opening. Chuze Fitness, 779 Peoria St., Aurora. 9-11 a.m. No cover.

*Colorado Rockies vs. Baltimore Orioles. Watch on ATT SportsNet-RM, or listen at 94.1 FM. 5:05 p.m.

Broncos vs. LA Rams. Empower Field at Mile High, 1701 Bryant St. 7 p.m. Prices vary.

Sunday, Aug. 27

Just for fun

2023 Denver Parade of Homes. Various locations across the Denver metro and online. Noon-5 p.m. Free.

*5th Annual La Raza Park Day and Cruise. La Raza Park, 1501 W. 38th Ave. 1-5 p.m. Free. Advanced registration recommended.

Kids and family

*Summer Art Market. Art Students League of Denver in West Wash Park neighborhood, from East 1st to East 4th avenues to Sherman and Logan streets. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (children 12 and under), $5 (guests 13 and older). All ages.

*Larimer Square Summer Market Series. Larimer Square. 1430 Larimer St. Noon-4 p.m. No cover.

Comedy and theater

AJ Finney. Comedy Works Downtown, 1226 15th St. 7 p.m. $14.

Art, culture and media

Affordable Arts Festival. Arapahoe Community College campus, 5900 S. Santa Fe Drive, Littleton. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. $12.

Eat and drink

*Highlands Farmers Market. Highlands Square, W. 32nd Avenue and Lowell Boulevard. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. No cover.

*South Pearl Street Farmers Market. 1400 and 1500 blocks of South Pearl Street, between Iowa and Arkansas. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. No cover.

*People + Produce. Belleview Station, Newport Street and Chenango Avenue. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. No cover.

Denver Food Fight for Reproductive Rights. The Block Distilling Co., 2990 Larimer St. Noon-3 p.m. $100. Advanced registration required.

Noble Riot Wine School: Blind Tasting Basics. Noble Riot Wine BAr, 1336 27th St. 3:30-4:30 p.m. $39.

Supper Club. The Woods, 3330 Brighton Blvd. 7:30-9:30 p.m. $45. Advanced registration required.

Music and nightlife

JetSet Jamz Sunday Concert Series. Denver International Airport, 8500 Peña Boulevard. 2 p.m. Free. Advanced registration required.

MissFitts 1 Year Celebration Rooftop Party. Club Vinyl, 1082 Broadway. 3 p.m. $20.

*Japan Fest 2023: Lyrics Born. Levitt Pavilion, 1380 W. Florida Ave. 4-8 p.m. Free. Advanced registration required.

*Vance Joy. Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway. 7 p.m. Prices vary.

Sports and fitness

*bRUNch Club. Apple Blossom, 822 18th St. 8 a.m. Free.

*Colorado Rockies vs. Baltimore Orioles. Watch on ATT SportsNet-RM, or listen at 94.1 FM. 11:35 a.m.

All Weekend

Kids and family

Disney Animation Immersive Experience. Lighthouse Artspace, 3900 Elati St. 10:15 a.m.-8:15 p.m. Starting at $23. Advanced registration required for timed entry. All ages.

Bugs. Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (members, children 2 and under), $17.95 (youth ages 3-18), $19.95 (seniors 65 and older), $22.95 (adult, non-members). Advanced registration recommended. All ages.

*Bright Nights. Four Mile Historic Park, 715 S. Forest St. 7-11 p.m. (Friday and Saturday) and 7-10 p.m. (Sunday). $15 (children ages 3-12), $25 (adults).

Art, culture and media

*Denver Public Art Self-Guided and Virtual Tours. Various locations and online. Anytime. Free. All ages.

Ansel Adams: Early Works. Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St. 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Free (members and children 2 and under), $11 (children ages 3-15 and students), $11.50 (seniors 65 and older and military members), $15 (adults).

Anna Tsouhlarakis: Indigenous Absurdities. MCA Denver, 1485 Delgany St. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (children 18 and under), $7 (college students, teachers, military, seniors), $10 (adults and members).

Desert Rider: Dreaming in Motion. Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (members and children ages 18 and younger), $12-$19.

Personal Geographies. Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (members and children ages 18 and younger), $12-$19.

Space Command. Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (members and children ages 18 and younger), $12-$19.

Velart Pop Up. Dairy Block Lobby, 1800 Wazee St. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free.

Music and nightlife

Vortex 2023. Meow Wolf at The JunkYard, 2323 W. Mulberry Place. 5-11 p.m. (Friday) and 2:30-11 p.m. (Saturday and Sunday). Starting at $59.50, $249.50 (three-day pass). (Read more about this music festival from Denverite here.)

Fitness and sports

*Summer at Skyline Park. Skyline Park, 16th and Arapahoe streets. Times vary by activity. Free (skate rentals $7-$9).

Since 1987, Ann Arbor-based artist David Zinn (previously) has gathered a diverse and humorous cast of characters on the sidewalks, streets, and walls of his hometown. In some of his newest works, a tiny tomfool alien explodes a load of asphalt with the push of a button, a dandelion lights the candle of a young dino’s cake, and an unenthused amphibian with “resting frogface” peers from a hole in some mortar.

Zinn recently published two books, including The Chalk Art Handbook, a how-to guide for creating temporary chalk art in public places, and Chance Encounters, showcasing numerous examples of his interventions over the years. Find more of the artist’s work on his website, and follow along on Instagram as he transforms more hidden corners of his community.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article Brief Bouts of Mischief: David Zinn’s Chalk Drawings Imbue Everyday Street Scenes with Playful Character appeared first on Colossal.

A convenient inconvenience 

Rossa’s passion for community has fostered a sense of resilience. The venue has faced many challenges, all of which they endured thanks to the trust of those tied to it. 

Take lockdown, for example. When the pandemic put the entire local music scene at risk, Rossa and general manager Matthew Ruff went into action. They shifted to livestream show, upheld their more-than-fair pay agreements with musicians, and offered the space for safe, socially-distanced events. Beyond the music, Rossa hosted a food bank for struggling artists. 

Dazzle received help, too. Thanks to donations, grants and a pause on rent, the venue made it to the other side of the pandemic with stronger connections than ever. 

When facing delays in the opening of the club’s new location, Rossa once again turned a challenge into an opportunity. The delay gave him time to curate meaningful art displays that showed, rather than told, the essence of Dazzle. 

Dazzle Denver director of marketing Kelley Dawkins explains the meaning behind Dazzle’s community-sponsored art commissions. Photo by Peter Vo, RMPBS.

“Art is what makes people’s souls hum,” shared Dazzle’s director of marketing, Kelley Dawkins, before giving Rocky Mountain PBS a tour of the carefully curated pieces. “The arts come in so many different forms, and they’re how we as humans connect to each other.”

Connecting generations

Dawkins’ thorough understanding of Rossa’s curation goes much deeper than simply doing her job, as she has been part of the journey since the venue’s start.

“My parents were coming here since it opened, that was about when I went to college, and they would bring me here when I was home,” she recalled. “Donald, the owner, has always supported me with some of my fundraising activities and adding discounts and free appetizers for people who would donate to things I did. When my dad passed away, we had his celebration of life here.”

Dazzle’s programming makes the intention to connect various generations clear. They book artists of various ages and host children’s matinees and school concerts. But the intergenerational connections displayed in the art could go unnoticed without a tour. 

Mural by Matt O’Neil in men’s bathroom. Photo by Peter Vo, RMPBS.

In the men’s bathroom, you’re greeted by a large, colorful mural by artist Matt O’Neil. The bright colors and seemingly random, yet surprisingly cohesive shapes symbolize the jazz band O’Neil played with in his youth. 

Behind the bar is a digital collage created by O’Neil’s son, Tom O’Neil. He created the collage by “blowing up” an image of an instrument in order to showcase its intricacies.

“His philosophy is that half of the music that comes out of an instrument is the person playing it, and half of it is the mechanisms and the craftsmanship behind it. And you don’t notice that it was made wrong until you’re in the middle of it,” explained Dawkins, “And he saw the bar as having the same function in the venue.”

A digital collage by Tim O’Neil, son of Matt O’Neil. Photo by Peter Vo, RMPBS.

The art display in the women’s bathroom is accompanied by a plaque honoring a longtime patron of Dazzle, Beverly Clifton. 

“In our old locations she would bring things in to make the ladies rooms nice and pleasant. And she has passed away,” Dawkins shared, “Her daughter still comes in, and we wanted to honor her a little bit.” 

Even the soundproofing panels on the doors have a legacy to them, as they were hung by Dawkins’ children, ages 7 and 9. 

Intercultural influences

A throughline between the various pieces of art at Dazzle is a celebration of the symbiotic relationship between jazz and culture, and its ability to unite people from different backgrounds.

“Jazz is important to society as a whole because its roots are in not only Black culture, but Black slavery and the songs that slaves used to sing,” explained Dawkins. “As we left slavery and moved into other times where there was still segregation, jazz was the music of the Black culture. People who weren’t Black would sneak away from their homes and go to the clubs because it’s such a lively and energetic music form.”

Dawkins says that although jazz has changed over time, the origins are still noticeable in today’s music. “It’s gone from being kind of the thing you had to sneak around to do to being a form that’s recognized worldwide. It has influences on music around the world and really represents a lot of what made America what it is today.”

In the corner of Dazzle is the “El Chapultepec Piano Lounge,” in honor of the iconic jazz joint that closed during the pandemic. The contributions of Hispanic and Latino culture is honored with tributes created by local artist Shay Guerrero.

“Her artwork is very much rooted in the Hispanic culture, and even these ones here, the gold foiling around them is reminiscent of the Catholic Virgin Mary’s and the gold halo you usually see around them,” Dawkins said.

Included in these pieces are Jerry Krantz, the late owner of El Chapultepec; Freddy Rodriguez, one of the first artists to play at El Chapultepec who passed from COVID; and the co-owners of local family-owned string company, Mi Vida Strings.

“The husband [Eric Trujillo] is a local Denver native who is Mexican-American and also comes from Mexican-Indian roots, and his wife [Michele Trujillo] is Native American,” Dawkins said. “So we’re also bringing in the Native American Indian influences on jazz in the community.”

Above the piano are detailed depictions of hosts and personalities from jazz station KUVO: Carlos Lando, Arturo Gomez, Tina Cartagena and Flo Hernandez-Ramos. (KUVO, like Rocky Mountain PBS, is part of Rocky Mountain Public Media.)

KUVO personalities and pioneers Flo Hernandez-Ramos, Carlos Landos, Tina Cartagena and Arturo Gomez by artist Shay Guerrero. Photo by Peter Vo, RMPBS.

KUVO, Dawkins explained, has roots in El Chapultepec. 

“Flo, Carlos and Tina were the three people who sat in the booth in the corner booth at El Chapultepec and broadcasted from there,” she said. “That is why we have KUVO today, because they thought the music was so cool and that other people needed to hear it, and that that was the place where it was happening.”

Preserving local legacies

The inspiring start of KUVO is just one of many local legacies displayed throughout Dazzle. Upon entering, you’re greeted by the head of a bighorn sheep made of wood. 

Created by Brett Matarazzo, each detail displays an element of Denver’s jazz legacy, including the historic Rossonian. 

Even the wood itself has a story.

“Both the Big Horn and the Charles Burrell piece over here are reclaimed wood from north Denver neighborhoods as those buildings are torn down,” Dawkins shared proudly. 

The Burrell piece Dawkins referred to can be found in the back, near the kitchen. Here, the names of donors and other contributors are burnt into wood slats as a “thank you.” 

Near the Dawkins piece is the depiction of various women in jazz who have helped create the rich music scene Denver sees today, including Erica Brown and Tenia Renee Nelson. The wall behind them is lined with the music they have created. 

Erica Brown and Tenia Renee Nelson, local musicians. Photo by Peter Vo, RMPBS.

Two colorful murals adorn the main stage space. One is a depiction of artist Rene Marie. The piece, entitled “Our Colorado River Song” was created by artist Jazz Holmes, one of Redline Contemporary Art Center’s artists-in-residence. 

Marie played in Denver for decades before moving to take care of ailing parents. Her parents have since passed, prompting her return for the opening of the new space.

“We were thrilled to welcome her back,” said Dawkins. “She likes to push boundaries with music. We love that. We like to push boundaries as well.”

Mural of musician Rene Marie by artist Jasmine Holmes. Photo by Peter Vo, RMPBS.

Across from Marie is a memorial to Ron Miles created by Denver artist Detour.  Miles ran the jazz program at MSU Denver. He taught for around 30 years, influencing countless young musicians. Much like Dazzle, Miles was known for going above and beyond when it came to caring for others.

“It’s really amazing watching some of the local musicians come in and especially when they didn’t know this mural was up, there were a lot of people who were overcome for a moment or two because he means so much to them,” said Dawkins. “A lot of people who have really enjoyed performing on the stage with him looking over them.”

Community contributions around every corner

At Dazzle, no good deed goes unseen, and the art curation makes it clear. Every detail of the space, from the room itself, to art sponsors, all the way down to the salt and pepper shakers were the result of community collaboration.

Just one of many community-contributed salt and pepper shaker sets. Photo by Peter Vo, RMPBS.

“Those are from Donald’s personal collection at home,” Dawkins said of the eclectic table ornaments. 

“We have four owners and he is the primary owner, but he wanted to bring them in so that he has a touch of home in the space. And then he didn’t have enough. So we’ve been asking other people who have pairs of salt and pepper shakers, unique ones in particular the animals to bring them in.”

“Community is really important to Dazzle,” Dawkins concluded, “and why we’re still here today.”

Elle Naef is the multimedia producer at Rocky Mountain PBS. You can reach her at ellenaef@rmpbs.org.

Peter Vo is the journalism intern at Rocky Mountain PBS. You can reach him at petervo@rmpbs.org.

When Alice Anne Schwab, executive director of the Susquehanna Art Museum, heard that the Broad Street Market had burned, she was devastated.

She knew the museum, located just down the street from the market, needed to help its neighbor, and in its signature creative style.

In July, the museum hosted plein air painting in the market courtyard, where local artists painted and drew scenes from around the market. Their creations were auctioned off, with all proceeds going to support the market, which was heavily damaged by fire earlier in July.

The fundraiser was even more successful than Schwab could’ve imagined.

The auction, which ran from Aug. 9 to 18 and included 15 paintings by 14 local artists, raised $3,471, almost $1,000 over the museum’s original goal.

“I was thrilled,” Schwab said. “I really didn’t know what to expect. It was so exciting.”

Many of the paintings featured the front façade of the brick market building, which is now closed due to heavy fire, smoke and water damage. Others depicted the iconic sign on the market’s still-open stone building, quarts of cherry tomatoes, and people playing chess outside the building, among other market-inspired scenes.

Artists ranged from professionals to local elementary school students.

“Broad St Market” by Biruta Hansen

Perry County artist Biruta Hansen painted two pieces, each telling a different story of the brick building. One, entitled “Ghost,” uses grayish blue tones to capture the loss and somber state of the building, while the other painting shows a much brighter, sunny and hopeful scene.

Hansen’s “Broad St Market” painting sold for $1,000 and “Ghost” sold for $395.

“It was very gratifying,” she said. “The idea of contributing to the community in a time of tragedy–it was the least I could do.”

Schwab was happy to see that all of the paintings received bids and was grateful for the community’s interest. She hopes that the funds will help the market as officials seek to support displaced vendors and rebuild the brick building in the months ahead.

“Midtown is like a family; we try to support each other,” Schwab said. “The market isn’t just geographically close, but it’s near and dear to all of our hearts. We are super happy this worked out as it did.”

To view the pieces that were included in the auction, click here. To learn more about the Susquehanna Art Museum, visit their website.

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