Global Village

A lot of artists and gallerists — including some folks who are both — are looking to Denver to go global as an art town. And though it’s hard to keep a balance between our city’s local cultural flavor and the rush of world trends in art, some of them are finding ways to bridge the two to create community. That’s what Direct Connect Denver — a collaboration of four galleries, one in Berlin and three in Denver, and 100 artists — is all about. Fifty locals and fifty German artists were paired off to create shared works (imagine the shipping logistics alone!), some of which will go on display here at GroundSwell, Hinterland and Showpen galleries. A final portion of art-works started here and shipped to Germany for finishing will be exhibited at the Berlin gallery, Neurotitan.

“Considering the breadth of it all, it’s amazing how well it’s going,” says GroundSwell’s Rebecca Peebles, who adds that she and her gallery collaborators, Sabin Aell of Hinterland and Donald Fodness of Showpen, hope to come together annually for future projects. And the learning curve — including the discovery that customs treats art as a difficult commodity — will no doubt make that easier the next time around.

Direct Connect continues through April 5 at GroundSwell, 3121 East Colfax Avenue; Showpen, 809 West 9th Avenue; and Hinterland, 3254 Walnut Street and continues through April 5. For more information, go to hinterlandartspace.com or groundswellgallery.com.

Fri., March 14, 6-10 p.m.; March 14-April 5, 2014