The Broadway Triangle Art Wall in RiNo

There's a new gallery in town folks, but this ain't your typical rodeo. Instead of an establishment made up of four walls, its works are to be seen on the side of a wall. Dubbing itself the first "public art gallery" of its kind in Denver, this gallery plans to take its art out of the usual white cube realm art exhibitions, opting instead to display its work out on the street smack dab in the middle of the city's most culturally relevant neighborhood at present. May I introduce to you, the Broadway Triangle Art Wall.

Located at Larimer and Broadway in the River North District (RiNo) - the up and coming neighborhood that is quickly rising in the Denver arts, culture and restaurant scene - the Broadway Triangle Art Wall is the brainchild of Denver based developer Focus Property Group LLC and Denver based architect firm Tres Birds Workshop. The duo is using the side of their newly developed building - where a number of delicious restaurants are soon to open this month - to create a permanent outdoor exhibition space. Witnessing the neighborhood's unique blend of urban culture with that of its creative community, the wall brings an important outlet for artists to display sanctioned works of art on our streets without the fear of removal. This is significant, seeing as Denver has a plethora of eclectic graffiti art that is always under the threat of removal no matter the talent that lies behind it - just take a walk along the alleyways of South Broadway where you'll find some incredible examples. Granted, this sort of graffiti art and "tagging" uses private businesses as a canvas, creating a costly problem of vandalism for city officials. Thus, to have an established vehicle for this public art, such as the Broadway Triangle Art Wall, is a step in the right direction.

Officially, the wall's purpose is to offer the community a "rotating outdoor mural exhibit," featuring work by local, national and international artists every six months. The wall measures 48 x 8 feet and is divided into four sections, each designated to showing individual works measuring 12 x 8 feet. Conveying the building's dedication to presenting artworks long term, the walls' display is permanently fitted for artists to hang each piece after their completion in the studio - setting them apart from the usual street art process wherein artists create while on site. The first installment of the project, which had its unveiling during a First Friday Art Walk on Nov. 1st, features local talents Like Minded Productions (Jonathan Lamb and Michael Ortiz), artist trio Pedro Barrios, Jaime Molina and Joseph Martinez (aka Palabros/Collabros), Jolt of Guerilla Garden, and international artists Harikrishnan Panicker and Deepti Nair, both of whom hail from Mumbai, India and now call Denver home.

To learn more about the works currently on view, read 303 Magazine's article Concrete Canvas: The Broadway Triangle Art Wall. You can also visit the wall's Facebook page to stay tuned in on its upcoming projects.

Laura Krudener "Suspended Chaos" at Plus Gallery

 

Laura Krudener's first solo exhibition received a great response on its opening night at Plus Gallery,  where Krudener is represented in Denver, CO. Titled "Suspended Chaos," the show presents the artist's exciting new body of work. Comprised of eight large scale paintings, these works examine the ways in which we struggle to find stillness amongst a society that runs on endless news feeds, an overload of information and visually stimulating content. 

The sporadic movement captured on Krudener's raw canvases juxtaposes the thick and heavy weight of her paint pours, which she applies from above the canvas. The bold colors of enamel and acrylic paint explode against one another - creating a color discord, somewhat, with pinks, oranges, blues, and yellows all fighting for attention and yet floating together. Additionally, each work is embellished with unique mark making, where Krudener uses marker and charcoal to follow along some of the pours or to become an extension of them. 

Dripping in Gold, 2013, Acrylic, enamel, charcoal, and marker on raw canvas, 60 x 60 in.

Krudener's process is entirely additive, meaning each pour and action sets the stage for the next motion until the painting reaches its completion. This, combined with her unplanned compositions and the receding edges of her canvases, result in a stunning effect that literally leave the the works hanging in suspension. It is as if, when we look at these paintings, we are actually looking into our own lives, hanging in the delicate balance of always being "on the go" while attempting to find the peace and stillness we all are seeking. 

Awakened Dreamers, 2013, Acrylic, enamel, charcoal, and marker on raw canvas, 84x108 in.

It is altogether beautiful yet eery, the way Krudener can make these seemingly simple observations and create works that are truly of this time and which speak to our souls. That said, this new body of work certainly attributes to her recognition as a standout artist amongst the field of abstract expressionism - one many say has over saturated today's art market. Rather than giving us more of the same, Krudener is contributing to the longstanding tradition of abstract expressionism by capturing an emotional intensity that speaks to our spirituality and uncovers our deepest feelings. After spending some time with these works, I find myself contemplating their meanings days later - their bold colors and sweeping movements still resonating - and ultimately, what they mean to me.

Twisted and Unraveling (Triptych), 2013, Acrylic, enamel, charcoal, and marker on raw canvas 36 x 36 in.

Laura Krudener is an abstract painter living and working in Denver, Colorado. She was recently profiled in this month's Colorado edition of Luxe Magazine and on the online magazine Curbed.com, which you can see here http://curbed.com/archives/2013/08/28/inside-the-edgy-interiors-of-elizabeth-bolognino.php. You can also visit the artist's personal website at http://laurakrudener.com/.