Art Gym Denver is so excited to announce an exhibit celebrating Día de los Muertos in the Art Gym Gallery with an opening reception on November 1 from 5-8PM. Curated by Art Gym member Tony Ortega, the exhibition will include 2D, 3D and traditional altars by 12 local Latino artists. The opening reception will also include appetizers by Damaris Ronkanen of Cultura Chocolate, as well as a dinner available for additional purchase.

Curator Tony Ortega has done a tremendous job creating an exhibit that demonstrates the scope of Día de los Muertos and the rich traditions that it involves. The altars and ofrendas included in the exhibition range from a traditional, precolonial altar to an ofrenda dedicated to an artist’s late family members. One 3D artists included, Maruca G. Salazar, previous Executive Director of Museo, is creating an altar to celebrate and honor Xolotl, an Aztec god associated with light and death in the representation of a dog. She says regarding Xolotl, “Xolotl helps the souls of humans during the crossing to the underworld. In the tradition of my grandmother the Xolotl also is a monstrous dog that if you misbehave he will carry you to the underworld and eat you!”

The exhibition also includes multiple 2D pieces depicting scenes related to Día de los Muertos. Claudia Martinez, a Mexican pastel artist now living in Denver, explained her work as “abstract, naive, and based on my personal experience. On this occasion I reflected the stories that were transferred to me in my childhood referring to our tradition of celebration of life (day of death).” The other 2D works in the exhibition are created in the same vein, depicting the personal experience of the artists with Día de los Muertos.

Included in the exhibition are works of art by Manuel Cordero, David Ocelotl Garcia, Arlette Lucero, Claudia Martinez, Sylvia Montero, Cipriano Ortega, Tony Ortega, Dr. George Rivera, Maruca Salazar, Armando Silva, Mario Vasquez and Jerry Vigil. The food at the reception will be provided by Damaris Ronkanen, owner of Cultura Chocolate and one of the top Latina chefs in Denver.

Join us for the opening reception and celebration of Día de los Muertos on Thursday, November 1 from 5 – 8PM.

Also opening at Art Gym Denver is Other Worldly by Ingrid vB Porter and Gauntlet Eyes by Hillary Muramoto and Ian Bullard in the Common Space Gallery with an opening reception November 1 from 5 – 8PM. Other Worldly by Ingrid vB Porter explores mythology and metaphor through watercolor and book arts, while Hillary Muramoto and Ian Bullard worked together to create Gauntlet Eyes, a series of metalsmith works by Muramoto inspired by Bullard’s drawings.

Join us for an artist talk with Ingrid vB Porter titled ‘The Intersection of Art, Mythology and Personal Process,’ Wednesday, November 7 from 6 – 7PM.

Both exhibits and the artist talk are free and open to the public Monday through Friday, 9AM – 6PM. They will be on display from November 1 through November 23, 2018.