Ever since I moved to Denver, I’d wanted to go to the Clyfford Still Museum, yet never managed to go until recently. I made an effort because I heard that Big Blue was being put away.
I didn’t know what or (maybe) who was Big Blue, with some digging into the Still Museum website I found out that Big Blue is a really big painting. And as it suggests in its title, its mostly blue.
A fascinating thing about the Still Museum (at the moment) is that it’s been ‘curated’ by children. Many of the art works on display have been chosen by local children in collaboration with the museum.
Inside you will find audio recordings of children commenting on various paintings, including Big Blue. I couldn’t help giggling a few times at what was being said, children do say the darndest things. It’s amazing what they can come up with.
The building has a ceiling design with droplet shaped holes to let light shine in and there are two terraces where one can venture out to explore the crystal prisms hanging on fishing lines.
A short intro video gives you insight into who Clyfford Still was and what his art motivations were. I was drawn to his solid commitment to keeping all of his works together. He believed that they should be displayed together to see the ‘big picture’; hence the whole building dedicated to just his art.
I’m glad I got a chance to say goodbye to Big Blue and I’m excited to see what they pull out from the vault next. The museum teases you with glass sliding doors to the vault, so you can see what they have in storage.
What the Art?! Art History Simplified 