Catie Michel Takes Over PlatteForum for Memoria Exhibition

For over 23 years, urban art and activism laboratory PlatteForum has served Denver's creative community through a variety of avenues. From its arts education and youth internship program called PlatteForum ArtLab to the community events that offer an inside look into the stories behind exhibitions, collaboration is a key element that makes PlatteForum stand out.

Just in time for the last month of summer, PlatteForum is preparing to debut its latest artist-led exhibition. Memoria, a multimedia exhibit open to the public from August 1-27, takes a closer look at the strong connection between individual histories and our surroundings through personal stories.

Local science illustrator and artist Catie Michel started Memoria as a project that interviews community members about their sense of place, captures their likeness with platinum-palladium printing and adds final hand-painted touches that reflect their lived experiences. The platinum prints originated in the 1800s and utilize cotton paper, light-sensitive chemicals and sun exposure to create the images, which can last thousands of years with proper creation and storage.

Throughout her residency at PlatteForum, Michel has continued Memoria and led ArtLab interns through the tedious process of creating their own platinum images in the span of eight weeks. Mirroring the same process Michel has done multiple times, the students were interviewed by Program Director Alejandra Calvo about their creations. Those discussions can be listened to via a QR code at the exhibition.

"Working with the high school ArtLab interns has allowed me to reflect on my own time in high school," Michel says. "And working in the arts in my hometown [of Denver] has allowed me to reflect on the many connections and friendships that have made it possible."

In addition to leading students throughout the summer, Michel has created new pieces that will be featured in the exhibition. Instead of simply printing the portrait, Michel decided to hand-draw each image and then print it to spend more time on the piece and add another intimate layer to the work of art.

The participants featured in Michel's newest creations have a connection to the arts, including her former high school art teacher, David Stallings. While dealing with personal issues as a teenager, Michel found solace in Stallings's class and she called his classes her "foundations of support."

After reconnecting with Stallings at Art Gym Denver, Michel has enjoyed working alongside him on many projects. Michel says that she wanted to feature figures, like Stallings, who have contributed to her sense of belonging within the arts community, their profound impact on the community and encourage others to celebrate their own stories through platinum printing.

"It has truly been an honor to work with the ArtLab interns this summer, as well as create new work for this exhibition," says Michel. "This opportunity to converge upon storytelling, reflection and care at a time when social and educational programs are being vastly defunded and devalued is immeasurably important to me."

Executive Director of PlatteForum Jen Olson has been involved in arts education for over thirty years and has seen the true impact of letting creative juices flow. As students created their pieces for Memoria, Olson believes it's satisfying that teenagers always "say things that make [her] think."

In a world where lots of negativity is being consumed at a rapid pace, Olson finds exhibitions like Memoria to be humanizing and a great opportunity to slow down. Olson notes that although some ArtLab interns end up going to art school, which is a great part of the program, a majority of participants will not and still carry the life lessons learned no matter where they end up.

"It's not about making artists, it's about making young adults who know how to be themselves and how to get their needs met through community," says Olson. "That's a life skill that follows you everywhere."

PlatteForum will host an artist conversation between Michel, student artists and Sarah Gonzales Coffin, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Colorado Boulder, on August 22. Gonzalez Coffin studies climate change decision-making and technology adoption, which explores how "nature-like" sustainable solutions can impact public endorsement of earth-friendly actions.

An Indigenous scientist from the Chiricahua Apache Nation, she draws from her experiences in a rural area to aid in her research in environmental psychology. Gonzalez Coffin's work for nature-based organizations will add "another great layer" to the exhibition, Olson says.

"What she has to say about [Memoria] is going to be super interesting," says Olson. "I'm excited for the kids to be able to lead that conversation."

Opening Reception of Memoria, 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, August 1, 3575 Ringsby Court #103. Memoria will run through August 27; the gallery is open Wednesday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. There will be an artist conversation at 6:30 p.m. Friday, August 22.