Though First Friday in July will have to compete with fireworks shows and weenie roasts on Fourth of July eve, there’s still plenty to do and see in Denver galleries this summer. Get outside this weekend while the weather’s nice, and participate in the local art-walk tradition.
Video Dialogue: Chris Johanson from Dikeou Collection on Vimeo.
Video Dialogue Series: Chris JohansonDikeou Collection
7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, July 2
The Dikeou Collection invites the public up to the fifth floor of the Colorado Building downtown this summer for a series of artist conversations with an unusual premise: Artfully arranged video clips will be used to illustrate each artist’s work and influences. It begins July 2 with a look into the grassroots DIY Mission School movement that inspires San Francisco artist Chris Johanson. A second component, the LaserVision: Gourmet Video Series, will approach Johanson’s cultural milieu on July 8, 9 and 10 at the Dikeou Pop-up space on Colfax Avenue, with screenings of three classic films shot in San Francisco: Escape from Alcatraz, Bullitt and Big Trouble in Little China. Visit the Dikeou website for details and future screenings.
Joseph Coniff, Taken From There
Leisure Gallery
Opening reception: 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, July 3
Denver artist Joseph Coniff takes a time out from Rule Gallery at Leisure with this summery roadtrip of distorted snapshots with titles lifted from small-town America. Explore suburban myths in photography through Coniff’s images at the July 3 reception; perhaps this is the artist’s way of working up to his solo at the Rule Gallery Marfa grand opening in October in Marfa, Texas.
Ironton Group Show and Summer Party
Ironton Studios & Gallery
Opening reception: 6 to 10 p.m. July 3
Ironton celebrates its own this summer with a survey of the studio enclave’s twenty resident artists. But in a way, it’s just an excuse for a party, and a really good one: Mingle under the stars in the working community’s sculpture garden with the sculptors, painters and installationists of Ironton to help celebrate fifteen years in the morphing River North neighborhood. Ironton was there before RiNo became RiNo and continues to thrive in what was once a lonely industrial tangle of warehouses, and that’s something to drink to — which you can, as drinks will be provided, along with tamales and tunes spun by DJ Marc Willhite.
Jeremy Fish: Anger Management
My Dog Sighs, You Don't Care About Us
Black Book Gallery
July 3 through 31
Opening reception: 6 to 20 p.m. Friday, July 3
Black Book features San Francisco artist/illustrator Jeremy Fish this month, with UK artist My Dog Sighs, who paints haunting images on metal cans and leaves them to be found in public spaces, in the Project Room. Fish’s new work was produced during a period between two brain surgeries underwent in treatment of an aneurysm, reflecting on how he has had to learn to calm down in order to protect his brain health. Meet both artists at the July 3 reception.
Want more? See the Westword art event listings to learn more about current gallery and art museum exhibitions and openings in the metro area.
