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by Amerigo Vespucci
The City of Denver is welcoming the world to the Rocky Mountain West this month as it hosts the 2010 Biennial of The Americas, an international event celebrating the culture, ideas and people of the Western Hemisphere, July 1-31. While the Biennial centers around Civic Center Park, cultural sites throughout the city are joining in the festivities.
THE 2010 BIENNIAL OF THE AMERICAS CELEBRATES THE CULTURE of the peoples of North and South America. Among the events happening close by is the Woody Guthrie: Weaving The Threads Festival, hosted by Swallow Hill Music Association, July 30-31.
In our neighborhood, Swallow Hill Music Association will host
Woody Guthrie: Weaving the Threads Festival, Fri. & Sat., July 30
& 31, at both the 71 E. Yale Ave. music mecca and the L2 Arts &
Event Center, 1477 Columbine St. Twist & Shout, Tattered Cover and
the Metropolitan State College of Denver co-present the event honoring
the legacy of this American icon. See Arts & Entertainment, pg. 23,
for concert info.
Fans
can partake of films, workshops and presentations from the Woody Guthrie
Foundation & Archives. There’s a panel discussion featuring Anna
Canoni, Woody’s granddaughter and director of the Woody Guthrie
Foundation; Jorge Arévalo, the head archivist and curator of the Woody
Guthrie Archives; and all-things-Woody collector Barry Ollman. And
students from MSCD have created an elaborate, interactive art
installation which allows people to create and record their own musical
works, using lyrics of Guthrie’s songs as their canvas.
WoodyFest
tickets are $135 for a weekend pass; one-day passes/$85 ($45 for kids).
Concert-only admission, $30 per gig. Info/tickets:www.swallowhillmusic.org or 303-777-1003.
Over at the Newman
Center for the Performing Arts at University of Denver, 2344 E. Iliff
Ave., 25 young adult string musicians from 18 nations will perform music
by composers from five nations of the Americas in a free YOA Orchestra
of the Americas concert on Fri., July 9, 7:30p.m. Visitwww.newmancenterpresents.com for ticket availability.
A little
less classical and a bit more Caribbean, the public can take in free
steel drum performances at the Newman Center, Mon.-Fri., July 12-16, at
8p.m. The evening jams are staged by musicians attending the Lamont
School of Music’s Pan Ramajay Summer Steel Drum Festival, devoted to the
study of steel drum and Caribbean music styles. The final Friday, July
16, concert features Ray Holman, renowned steel drum composer and
performer from Trinidad and Tobago. No tickets needed.
Just in
time for the Biennial, noted Denver Chicano artist David Ocelotl Garcia
has designed and executed a facade-covering outdoor chalk mural with
the help of Artists on Santa Fe gallery and studio artists. Roots
combines images of the artist community with the roots of the building
and the support of the arts. Drive or walk by 747 Santa Fe Dr. to view
the work throughout the month of July. Info: www.artistsonsantafe.com
or 303-573-5903. Many other galleries will showcase Biennial-themed
exhibitions; see Arts & Entertainment, pg. 25, for details.
The bulk of the Biennial is based at the McNichols Building in Civic
Center Park, which will house The Nature of Things, the central art
exhibition of the festival. This compelling presentation adorns all
three floors of the McNichols Building in 28,000 square feet of
exhibition space, featuring 24 artists working in a variety of media –
paintings, sculptures, video art and mixed-media installations. The
exhibition responds to the overarching themes of the Biennial –
innovation, sustainability, community and the arts. The Nature of Things
also includes a series of performances and discussions with the
artists, as well as special family-friendly programming.
The
Americas Roundtable is the Biennial of the Americas’ primary component
of public dialogue. Seven forums are scheduled, focusing on education,
poverty reduction, energy and climate change, women in leadership,
health, trade, and philanthropy. Each roundtable will be held at the
Ellie Caulkins Opera House at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.
Visit www.biennialoftheamericas.org for details.
Fees
apply to roundtables and most McNichols Building activities; tickets are
available through www.tickethorse.com/biennial-of-the-americas.
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