Andy Warhol Ouija Board Interview

We wanted to interview Andy Warhol since he’s included in the upcoming MCA Denver exhibition Postscript: Writing After Conceptual Art, and we had an idea. Why not try to channel him through a Ouija board? Program Producer Jesse Leaneagh came up with the questions as someone mildly familiar with Mr. Warhol, and Creative and Production Manager Alex Stephens and Audio Engineer Josh Novak rested their hands on the Ouija pointer also. None of us Ouija-ing were Warhol experts. To contact Andy, we repeated his name three times. By the time our interview was over we had unexpectedly brushed up on art history, crackpot methods or not, and gained a weird new respect for the man himself.

Design Within Denver

I caught up with Sandra Fettingis, who curated the MCA Denver trunk show Design Within Denver. Designers and studios involved include(d): Vital Industries, Bussard Design Studios, becky's 

buttons and things + Miss Guindon, MATTER, and Adam Sikorski (Coloradical).

I ♥ ArtPrize

 
Adam Lerner and I recently visited Grand Rapids on official museum business just as ArtPrize was gearing up for its nineteen-day run. ArtPrize is an art competition in Grand Rapids, Michigan, that awards an enormous prize, currently $200,000, to the voting public’s choice of “best artwork.” A host of other awards, including a juried prize (new this year), bring the total pot of prize money up to $560,000. ArtPrize is simple, anyone can vote for best art and, for a $50 entry fee, any artist can enter.

Richard Peterson Photos: Opening Party for Tercerunquinto and Continental Drift

Here's a selection of Richard Peterson's shots during the opening reception for the Continental Drift and Tercerunquinto exhibitions. The intrepid photographer can be seen on the right in the last photo of this slideshow. Both the Tercerunquinto and Continental Drift exhibitions close Saturday, September 23, 2012. New exhibitions by Adrian Ghenie and Dana Schutz open this Friday, September 21, and if you stop by Friday night there's a chance that Richard might immortalize you.  

MCA Denver Instagram Pic[k]s

MCA Denver is finally on Instagram! Here's Jesse (Program Producer extraordinaire) wading in taxidermy forms at the Jonas Brothers Taxidermy Studio. All for the sake of the September 21 opening: Adrian Ghenie and Dana Schutz. Follow MCA Denver on Instagram @mcadenver1485.

When Golden Girls Fleeced Black Sheep Fridays

Even though this season's series of Black Sheep Fridays has just begun, we thought we'd wax nostalgic on a moment from last year's "Art Basel Miami Denver" event. Black Sheep Fridays put out an open call for Golden Girls-inspired art by MCA Denver staff and volunteers, and museum visitors were given a coloring book of the best submissions. Here's a sample of some of our favorite results. We've also provided two blank sheets for your coloring pleasure. See you this Friday for Sommelier Pirates. 

Around Denver This Fall: Dana Schutz

In July, New American Paintings blog ran a poll with the question: "Who is the most significant painter to emerge since 2000?" Of the twelve painters included in the poll, Dana Schutz has so far received an overwhelming 30% of the vote. For anyone who has missed her trajectory thus far, Schutz is collaborating in full force with three Denver art institutions this fall. 

MCA Goes Everywhere: Awards, Adam & Filthy Bunnies

• Ellen Bruss Design, the Denver design firm who creates MCA Denver's flyers and ephemera, wins an American Graphic Design award for their work on the Feminism & Co. flyer.

• Michael Paglia, of Westword writes a review of Continental Drift, the exhibition at MCA Denver which features the work of seven Colorado artists who each are exploring ideas of space.

• Sandra Fettingis, gifts buyer at MCA Denver, starts a new program highlighting the excellent local designers featured in the museum shop. As this Westword article points out, Design Within Denver showcases a new designer on the second and fourth Friday of every month.

• Looking for something to do on Friday night? The Denver Post suggests you visit MCA Denver's zany program Black Sheep Friday, which this season will feature Cosby Con – a drop-in Friday event featuring pudding pops, jello shots and a sweater contest.

• Just Vote. Art Prize Grand Rapids doesn't care about Barack or Mittens, they want you to Vote Art 2012. Michigan visitors can register to pick the ten winners of the 19 day exhibition. And while you are checking out the art, be sure to drop in on Saturday, Sept. 15 to hear MCA Denver Director Adam Lerner speak about Art Fitness Training. I'll be there too, to answer the questions you are too shy to ask Adam.

• MCA Denver installation and facilities manager Nick Silici takes home second prize in the Westword's twenty raddest costumes at the 2012 Tour de Fat. Nick, please, use your victory winnings to send that filthy bunny suit to the cleaners.

Richard Peterson Photos: Opening Party for Frohawk Two Feathers

Photographer Richard Peterson was on-site for the Frohawk Two Feathers opening on June 13, documenting the evening in his usual unparalleled style. MCA Denver's Frohawk Two Feathers exhibition closes this Sunday, September 9. An exhibition of his newest work opens September 8 at Taylor de Cordoba gallery in Los Angeles. We'll miss you Frohawk. 

Black Sheep Fridays: Sassier Than Ever

Our Graphic Designer made a snazzy flier for Black Sheep Fridays. The evenings run 7-9 pm.