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Woman's Robe
Ikat
Photo by Don Tuttle
© American Foundation for Textile Art

To Past Exhibitions

To Exhibitions

Past Exhibitions

1960-1979 | 1980-1989 | 1990-1999 | 2000-2010

 


 

Pair of Flasks
Pair of Flasks
China
Late 200s-1 BC

Clay and Brush: Chinese Painted Pottery from the Sze Hong Collection
Since the Neolithic period, Chinese potters have decorated vessels and other clay objects with painted designs. This exhibition reveals methods of using a variety of coloring agents as a means of embellishing clay surfaces. While painted containers and figures continued to be made well after the development of colored glazes, multicolored glazes and enamels eventually became the dominant means of decorating ceramics.
March 4, 2000 - March 4, 2001
Fifth floor, Sze Hong Gallery

 

Dish from San Isidro Shipwreck
Dish from San Isidro
Shipwreck
China, 1500s

Sunken Treasures: Ming Dynasty Ceramics from a Chinese Shipwreck
This exhibition includes ceramics from the cargo of the San Isidro junk, a Chinese ship that sank off the Philippine coast. It was discovered in 1995 near the village of San Isidro, north of Manila. The ship's inventory included bowls and dishes made in the early 1500s, probably at a kiln in Fujian province in South China. Most of the ceramics are simple utilitarian wares with floral designs painted in underglaze cobalt blue. They provide information about a commercial network that existed between China and the Philippines that eventually extended to Europe and the Americas.

November 18, 2000 - October 20, 2002
Fifth floor, William Sharpless Jackson Jr. Gallery

Made possible with cooperation from Frederick R. Mayer, the Palace of the Governors in Santa Fe, and the Far Eastern Foundation for Nautical Archaeology.
Click here to see excavation photos Excavation Photos


 

Altar Cloth
Altar Cloth
Indonesia, 1900-20

Textile Art: Recent Acquisitions
A vibrant selection of objects from diverse cultures—Europe, Japan, Indonesia, and America—illustrates the collecting scope of the Textile Art Department during the last two years. Acquired by purchase and gift, the objects range from the seventeenth century to the present day and include embroideries, quilts, tapestries, batiks, and fiber sculpture.
December 16, 2000 - June 17, 2001
Sixth floor, Neusteter Textile Gallery
Organized by the Textile Art Department.

 

Woman's Robe
Woman's Robe
Bukhara, Uzbekistan, 1850-75
Photo by Don Tuttle

© American Foundation for
Textile Art

Ikat: Splendid Silks of Central Asia
Ikats—elaborate and vividly colored wall hangings, decorative panels, and robes—were created during the nineteenth century by artisans in cities along the ancient Silk Route. Small guilds of Tadjik, Uzbek, and Jewish craftsmen created these abstract-patterned textiles through an intricate process called resist dyeing, which involves months of tying, dyeing and weaving. These exquisite examples are from the Guido Goldman Collection—the largest and most comprehensive collection in the world.

February 10, 2001 - April 29, 2001
First floor, Stanton Gallery
Organized by the American Foundation for Textile Art. In Denver, made possible with support from Newmont Mining Corporation, and curated by the Textile Art Department.

 

Coiled Pot
Coiled Pot
China, 3290-2800 BC

China Meets the American Southwest: Pottery Designs and Traditions
This exhibition presents a fascinating look at pottery traditions from opposite sides of the globe—Native American pieces from the museum's collection are shown next to ancient Chinese examples on loan from the Sze Hong Collection. Many people assume a cultural connection between these ceramics because there is a resemblance of materials, techniques, shapes, and motifs. But there is no proof this is true. Fifty exceptional vessels are on view to compare and contrast.
March 24, 2001 - April 28, 2002
Fifth floor, Sze Hong Gallery


 

Fireman's Coat
Fireman's Coat
Japan, 1800s-1900s

Cultural Coatings
In addition to clothing the body and providing protection or warmth, coats also offer a canvas on which cultures express their concept of beauty. Designs may identify the wearers' ethnicity, profession, social rank, or religious beliefs; or conversely, the ornamentation may proclaim their individuality. Drawn primarily from the museum's textile collection, this exhibition presents nearly twenty garments from Europe, Asia, and America—from regional dress to high fashion—spanning the eighteenth century to the present.
December 22, 2001 - June 16, 2002
Sixth floor, Neusteter Textile Gallery

Organized by the Textile Art Department.

 

Maidenhair Tree
Maidenhair Tree

by Tai-li Zhang
China, 1994

Contemporary Botanical Art: The Shirley Sherwood Collection
An Oxford University-trained botanist, Dr. Sherwood has collected more than 450 paintings and drawings of botanical subjects. The collection includes works by artists living in China, India, Japan, the Philippines, and thirteen other countries. This exhibition of over 150 works provides visitors with an opportunity to see an incredible worldwide renaissance of botanical art. As an art form, botanical art is at its best when the illustration represents a delicate balance of the prosaic and the poetic, beautifully displayed in these fine pieces of art.

November 2, 2002 - January 12, 2003
First floor, Hamilton Gallery

Made possible with support from the Bank of Cherry Creek
, and curated by the Painting & Sculpture Department.

 


 

Appliqued Hanging
Appliquéd Hanging
Turkey, 1700s-1800s

Fabulous Floral Fabrics
The textiles on view in this exhibition come from three continents
Europe, Asia, and Americaand span more than three centuries. Like a garden that harmoniously combines native plants and exotic flowers, the exhibition juxtaposes objects as diverse as an American quilt and an embroidered cover (suzani) from Uzbekistan. Created from a variety of techniques, the flora ranges from recognizable blossoms gathered into tidy bouquets, to a tree of life bursting with imaginary blooms, to a kaleidoscopic garden stitched together from junk mail.
November 23, 2002 - May 4, 2003
Sixth floor, Neusteter Textile Gallery
Organized by the Textile Art Department.


 

Embroidered Cases with Orchids
Embroidered Cases with Orchids
China, early 1900s

Secrets from a Chinese Garden
In China, decorative flowers and plants often convey hidden messages. To the Chinese, the floral and vegetal images on the paintings, ceramics, textiles, and other objects in this exhibition would be recognized as symbols of auspicious blessings and joyful wishes. Frequently, meanings derive from the sounds of Chinese words themselves. For instance, the lotus, or he flower, pronounced the same way as the words "harmony" (he) and "unity" (he), is commonly associated with weddings. The exhibition includes robes and accessories from the notable Charlotte Hill Grant Collection, which are seldom shown because of their fragility and sensitivity to light.
November 23, 2002 - September 28, 2003
Fifth floor, William Sharpless Jackson Jr. Gallery

Made possible with support from the William Sharpless Jackson Jr. Endowment, and with cooperation from Sally Yu Leung and Tom Whitten. Virtual gallery tour provided with support from the Asian Art Coordinating Council.
Virtual Exhibition Tour Virtual Gallery Tour

 

Woman's Informal Robe
Woman's Informal Robe
China, 1900-1905

Lighter than Air: Gauze Robes from China
Lightweight and semi-transparent, open-weave silk garments were a functional yet beautiful response to China’s summer heat and humidity. Embroidered with auspicious images in colorful silk as well as gold and silver threads, or displaying subtle woven patterns that appear and disappear with shifting light, the ten diaphanous robes in the exhibition are from a seldom-seen part of the Denver Art Museum’s textile art collection. Dating from the late 1700s to the early 1900s and ranging from informal robes to semiformal court attire (so-called dragon robes), these garments present a glimpse of court life during the Qing dynasty. Most were collected by Charlotte Hill Grant in China in the 1920s and 1930s and illustrate not only enduring traditions but also the influence of the Empress Dowager Cixi (1835-1908) on the fashions of her time.
May 17, 2003 - November 30, 2003
Sixth floor, Neusteter Textile Gallery

Organized by the Textile Art Department and the Asian Art Department.

Virtual Exhibition Virtual Exhibition


 

Tripod Jar
Tripod Jar
China, 700s

Chinese Art of the Tang Dynasty from the Sze Hong Collection
During the Tang dyansty (618-907), China had a far-reaching empire that held extensive power over most of Asia. The Silk Road brought travelers and traders from Central Asia, India, Iran, and Byzantium to its capital at Chang'an. This exhibition features tomb figures of court officials, dancers, foreigners, horses, camels, and other subjects that provide a glimpse into the luxurious Tang lifestyle, replicated for the afterlife. Also included are examples of Tang-dynasty metalwork, including gilt-bronze Buddhist images and elaborately decorated mirrors.
May 11, 2002 - January 25, 2004
Fifth floor, Sze Hong Gallery

Made possible with support from the William Sharpless Jackson Jr. Endowment. Virtual gallery tour provided with support from the Asian Art Coordinating Council.
Virtual Gallery Tour Virtual Gallery Tour

 


Click on photo
for a larger view

Full Frontal: Contemporary Asian Artists from the Logan Collection
In December 2001, Vicki and Kent Logan donated more than two hundred artworks from the 1980s and 1990s to the Denver Art Museum's Modern & Contemporary Art collection as a fractional and promised gift. Their gift includes works by contemporary Asian and Asian American artists who not only reflect their cultural backgrounds, but also address issues affecting the societies in which they live. Representing artists from China, Singapore, Taiwan, and the United States, the figural paintings and photographs in this exhibition include works by Hung Tung-lu, Song Yonghong, Su-en Wong, Yu Youhan, Zeng Fanzhi, and Zhang Huan. A catalog is available at the Denver Art Museum Shop. For details, call the Museum Shop at 720.865.5035.
October 18, 2003 - May 23, 2004
Fifth floor, William Sharpless Jackson Jr. Gallery

Made possible with support from the William Sharpless Jackson Jr. Endowment, and with cooperation from the Modern & Contemporary Art Department. Virtual gallery tour provided with support from the Asian Art Coordinating Council.
Virtual Gallery Tour Virtual Gallery Tour
Point of View

 


"At the Emperor's Court" (detail)
by Hayakawa Tokunosuke
Japan, 1878

Japanese Prints: 150th Anniversary of United States-Japan Relations
The Treaty of Peace and Amity was signed between Japan and the United States in 1854. In commemoration of this event, this exhibition features prints from the Denver Art Museum's collection made during the one-hundred-and-fifty year relationship between the two countries. The prints represent changes in subject matter, style, and technique as Japan emerged from past seclusion to present-day global involvement. The exhibition also acknowledges the generosity of donors who gave prints to the museum so it could promote a deeper understanding and appreciation of Japanese art and culture. The exhibition is presented in two partsthe first from June 12 to October 10, 2004, and the second from October 12, 2004, to January 16, 2005.
June 12, 2004 - January 16, 2005
Fifth floor, William Sharpless Jackson Jr. Gallery

Made possible with support from the William Sharpless Jackson Jr. Endowment and the Asian Art Association.
Virtual Gallery Tour Virtual Gallery Tour, Part 1
Virtual Gallery Tour Virtual Gallery Tour, Part 2


 

Frederic C. Hamilton Building
Denver Art Museum
Frederic C. Hamilton Building

Frederic C. Hamilton Building
The Denver Art Museum expects one million visitors to the new Denver Art Museum complex in its first twelve months of operation. The complex opens on October 7, 2006 and debuts the 146,000-square-foot Frederic C. Hamilton Building expansion. "We took a hard look at our existing attendance and the growth potential of different segments of our audience in determining this estimate," says Lewis Sharp, director of the Denver Art Museum. "The opening of the Hamilton Building will be a significant accomplishment among art institutions, which will draw in more tourists to the museum, but also for the city of Denver, which we believe will draw a great deal of local and regional residents."
October 7, 2006

 

Tigers & Dragon (detail)
Tigers & Dragon (detail)
Japan, about 1650-75

Japanese Art from the Colorado Collection of Kimiko and John Powers
Kimiko Powers and her late husband, John (191699), collected more than three hundred Japanese objects, which she is lending to the Denver Art Museum. Ranging in date from the fourth to the mid-nineteenth century, the Kimiko and John Powers Collection is particularly strong in Buddhist art, Zen calligraphy, and eighteenth-century scholar's paintings. The installation includes a selection of screens, hanging scrolls, lacquers, ceramics, and Buddhist sculptures that reveal the breadth and beauty of this Colorado collection.
October 7, 2006 - July 8, 2007
Gallagher Family Gallery
First floor, Hamilton Building
Click here to see excavation photos Exhibition Photos
Point of View


 

Five Terracotta Warriors
Five Terracotta Warriors
by Yue Minjun
China, 2002

Radar: Selections from the Collection of Vicki and Kent Logan
About sixty paintings, sculptures, photographs, and installations by artists from China, Japan, Germany, Great Britain, the United States, and other countries are drawn from the extended Collection of Vicki and Kent Logan. The exhibition includes gifts to the Denver Art Museum and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art as well as ungifted works. One of the featured pieces is DOB in the Strange Forest, a FRP resin, fiberglass, and acrylic sculpture by Takashi Murakami (born 1962).
October 7, 2006 - July 15, 2007
Anschutz Gallery
Level 2, Hamilton Building
Organized by the Modern and Contemporary Art Department


 



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