Wednesday, March 05, 2008

DESIGN FOR CLYFFORD STILL MUSEUM UNVEILED THIS WEEK IN DENVER

Denver’s recent museum craze continues unabated, the final (for now) feather in the cap coming in the form of a museum devoted solely to the output and career of Clyfford Still.  Though every city has a museum dedicated to art on a wide scale, or even an MCA, no American city can lay claim to a museum such as the Still and it is this kind of prestige that fully resonates when considering Denver’s cultural legacy.  Situated directly west of the Hamilton Wing of the DAM, the Still Museum will be a far more subdued piece of architecture, though certainly no less resonant as it will undoubtedly hold the viewing of art as the utmost goal. The architect on the project Brad Cloepfil of Allied Works Architecture presented his firms theory behind the design and showed off a drawing as well as model of the proposed building, slated for completion in 2010.  Very much a pragmatic design, the facility captures the drama of Colorado’s unique light and strives to create an experience of ritual and discovery that should function well outside the dictates of more traditional museums.  Because the program of the building is based around artworks that are known, the curatorial experience is thought out well in advance and the building designed to accommodate that vision, which will be guided by Dean Sobel, former director of the Aspen Art Museum.  With 90% of those works having never been seen by anyone, really, the experience promises to be very provocative and engaging for both scholars, fans and collectors of contemporary art.  The model for the project is now on view at the Denver Art Museum and the Museum associates will likely continue to build anticipation of this project in the coming months through lectures and other events.