Sweeping the Sidewalk

Comments (0) By Michael Paglia Thursday, Sep 2 2010

The funky Dark Energy Art Space, one of the city’s newer galleries, is the brainchild of Ryan Raudonis, and it provides exhibition opportunities for a group that’s often lost in the Denver gallery shuffle: emerging local artists. The work of one, Dan Ellier Chapman, will be unveiled tonight in a solo titled Memory Trips.

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Chapman is a contemporary realist, and for this outing, he focuses on depicting the city’s street life. His paintings reveal that he’s an expert at conveying a dizzying array of details in his sharp-looking depictions of skateboarders, tough guys and old men, all of them engulfed in a gritty urban environment. “Figurative painting is what excites me, and there is an endless amount of subject matter out there — and all of it is unique,” Chapman says. A student at the University of Colorado Denver, he lists former teachers John Hull, Mary Connelly and Vivian George as significant influences.

The reception gets under way at Dark Energy, 860 West Eighth Avenue, at 5 p.m. and continues until 10. For additional information, call 303-719-0021 or go to www.darkenergyartspace.com.
Sept. 3-30, 2010