Exhibitions / Collections 2009-2010 - Nicolaysen Art Museum and ...

Allen True’s West
May 1 - July 25, 2010
Public Programming
1. Lecture on Allen True by Alisa Zahller, Associate
Curator,Colorado Historical Society
2. Lecture on 20 Years of Conserving Allen True’s Murals
by Carmen Bria, Conservator, WCCFA
Allen Tupper True (1881–1955) is regarded as Colorado’s premier native-born
artist of the twentieth century. He viewed his favorite subjects—the American
Indian and the West’s early settlers—as symbols of a proud though sometimes
tragic history. True’s path followed three phases—illustrator, fine artist, and muralist.
This exhibition explores all three, beginning with his earliest illustrations for
books and magazines. True gained distinction as an illustrator between 1905
and 1915 when he studied under the master Howard Pyle and worked shoulder
to shoulder with N. C. Wyeth. With the Taos artists from 1910 to 1917, True
created easel paintings that earned him regional and national fame. He then distinguished himself as a muralist after World War I with works
like the studies and large-scale mural on view here. His images decorated the walls of state capitols, libraries, schools, hospitals, businesses,
and financial institutions in Colorado, Wyoming, and beyond. Allen True’s West presents the full range of True’s legacy. His talents were diverse,
and his imagery evoked an entire era and a region’s multifaceted character.
This exhibition was organized by the Denver Art Museum’s Petrie Institute of Western Art, Denver Public Library’s Western History and Genealogy
Department and the Colorado Historical Society.
A Perfect Fit: Shoes Tell Stories
May 1- September 12, 2010
This exhibition explores the cultural meanings of shoes, presenting imaginative
and provocative objects of every size and craft medium. The exhibition will
contain approximately 120 objects from over 100 artists from all over the U. S.
plus Canada and Israel. The Perfect Fit explores the cultural meanings of
shoes, presenting imaginative and provocative objects of every size and craft
medium. This exhibition explores the shoe and its relation to art with work created
since 2004. From the iconic images of Van Gogh’s well-worn muddied
leather farmer’s boots to Andy Warhol’s glamorous, gem encrusted high heels,
artists continue to designate the shoe as a symbol of station, power, and
wealth. In this show, shoes express more than their role as footwear; they contain
multiple meanings that speak to issues of gender, sexuality, race and
class. This very contemporary exhibition that asks us to look at what shoes say
about us, our values, institutions, preconceptions and civilization.
This exhibition was organized by the Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton, MA.
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