The Denver Art Museum (DAM) in Colorado – known for its remarkable art shows, which have included works by Van Gogh, Picasso, Chagall and Matisse – currently has a bursting, vibrant exhibit of Joan Miró’s paintings and sculptures, titled “Instinct and Imagination.” The presentation, featuring Miró’s accomplishments in the last decades of his life, 1963 to 1983, is from the Museo Nationale Centro de Arte Reina, in Sofia, Madrid.
Miró pointed out, "I painted in a frenzy, so that people will know that I am alive, that I'm breathing, that I still have a few more places to go. I'm heading in new directions.” Miró characterized his work as an “assassination of painting” and also as “phantas-magoric.” He used sharp, primary colors, frequently symbols of stars, birds and women. For his sculp-tures, he found objects on the beach and the streets, declaring, “The material dictates what I must do.”
What helps to bring meaning and context to the artwork in this Miró exhibit, and in all the other shows at the DAM, are the accompanying posted label texts, photographs and artist quotes that make the viewer feel as if he or she were having an intimate conversation with the artist.
Danielle St. Peter is responsible for these interpretive installations. “Actually it is a team effort,” she said. “What makes DAM so special is that all the departments, including the Curatorial Department and the Department of Learning and Engagement, work collaboratively to design the content in our exhibitions. We strive to get our visitors to look closer at the art by allowing them to view videos when available that show the artists’ creative process.”
Tête à Tête
With Miró & Other Master Artists
By Edith Lynn Beer
A
Miro, Joan - Woman, Bird, and Star
Miro, Joan - Head Bird
Miro, Joan - Passage_Landscape
Miro, Joan - Spanish Woman