and Former Specialist Shelby Webster with Children:

Shelby was at the opening as well, and we were lucky enough to hear her talk about her own personal experiences too. Jennifer also spoke about the process of making her photos (like interviewing, special permissions, and what she wants to communicate to her audience).

REMEMBER: The show is up through MAY 1st. The gallery is open daily from 12-4 pm. Stop on by!

Here are some photos of the opening:

So how does Karady set up the often disturbing stories shown in her photography? The process is collaborative. First, she conducts extensive interviews with the veteran subjects, part of a lengthy planning process. Then, each veteran reenacts the memory they have chosen to show; often, they’re in uniform, surrounded by family and friends that are in their everyday life. In the upcoming show, the veterans’ memories and interviews will be included alongside Karady’s photographs.

One photograph in particular I find to be particularly horrific. It’s called “Former Sergeant Mike Moriarty, New Hampshire Army National Guard, veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, with wife, Randi, and children, Matthew and Kenley; Keene, NH, June 2007.”

Here is an excerpt from the catalogue entry:

“We were escorting a convoy north of Balad Airbase to Camp Speicher. I was a gunner in the lead escort vehicle — an up-armored Humvee….On this night we were traveling at approximately 55 to 60 mph. Up ahead a few hundred meters I noticed a vehicle that appeared to be ready to make a U-turn on the dirt median. [...]. As we got closer I recognized it as a Toyota pickup, and my concern became more intense that he was going to shoot straight in front of us….Just as we were within 50 meters, the Toyota abruptly dashed in front of us, crossed our path, and pulled onto the shoulder of the highweay in an evasive fashion. My driver screamed “Oh, my God!,” and just as the tires started to screech I saw a woman right in front of our hood…Before anyone could even think, we slammed into this woman. [...]. In absolute horror we watched five or six trucks trample the woman’s body. I remember her flopping in the road like a rag doll as each truck stampeded her. I knew there was no way she was alive but still felt overwhelmed with feelings of humanity and could not bear to see the body of an innocent human being so degraded. I ran into the road and picked up her torso and carried it to a ‘safe’ place beside the road. As I picked her up I immediately noticed her head was missing and one of her legs was gone.”

Sergeant Moriarty, who is telling the story, goes on to remember seeing her black burka on the road, and cookies scattered around the body. He found out later that the woman was a local mother of a 4-year-old boy.

This wrenching story is just one of many. Here at the gallery, we are almost finished with the installation, and are just working on the finishing touches. Come to the opening reception tomorrow night to hear a talk from the artist and see the show.

Details:

Thursday, March 31st, 5 pm: Artist talk with Jennifer Karady in the Gallery. during the opening reception 5 – 8 pm.

Posted by Anna

The Myhren Gallery will be exhibiting work by photographer from March 31st through May 1st. The show is called “In Country: Soldier’s Stories from Iraq and Afghanistan.” Jennifer works with American veterans to create images that tell their stories and address the difficulties of adjusting to civilian life. The artist works with real veterans, not actors, which increases the drama of her work. Karady photographs the psychological impact of war, and the memories that continue to haunt soldiers after returning home from war.

Please do come to our opening reception on Thursday, March 31st, from 5-8pm. Jennifer will give a talk about her work with guest veteran Shelby Webster at the beginning of the reception at 5pm.

Exhibition Reception: Thursday, March 31, 5–8 p.m. FREE.

Andy in New York, circa 1950

DID YOU KNOW?

…some fun facts about Andy Warhol.

In the mid-1960s, Andy is said to have spray-painted his wig silver.

Andy had to wear a surgical corset for much of his life after he was shot in the stomach in 1968.

In 1980, Andy had an audience with Pope John Paul II at the Vatican (even though he believed in “crystal powers”).

Warhol had real estate here in Colorado.

Andy’s given name was actually Andrew Warhola, and he was raised as a Byzantine Catholic.

During his lifetime, Andy produced over 600 time capsules — cardboard boxes that he filled with material from his everyday life.

Andy was a hypochondriac, and had a significant fear of doctors and hospitals.

Warhol had so many possessions that after his death, it took Sotheby’s nine days to auction off his estate.

If you haven’t already, come see “Warhol in Colorado” at the Myhren Gallery, open through March 13th. Hours are noon-6pm, Monday through Sunday. Who knows what you might learn?

Posted by Anna

Thank you to everyone that helped make Thursday’s Warhol Happening a glamorous evening! We were excited to have over 400 people attend the big event and get the first viewing of our first exhibition of 2011 Warhol in Colorado. I know I especially enjoyed taking photos with my friends in the photo booth and eating my own custom Mac & Cheese creation! Photos of the evening are already uploaded on our Facebook page!

The gallery is now open from 12:00pm-6:00pm everyday until March 13th. Come visit us before it’s too late.

Love the exhibition and want to know more about Warhol’s connection to Colorado? You can purchase the exhibition catalogue Warhol in Colorado for $20 (includes tax) at the gallery.

Cheers,

Anna

(Photo credit: Louise Palazola)

From DU Today, September 24, 2010

New Myhren Gallery exhibit spotlights work by alumni

By: Greg Glasgow

Whether or not art becomes their full-time vocation after graduation, current DU art students are likely to find plenty of motivation at the 2010 Juried Alumni Exhibition, opening Sept. 30 in the Victoria H. Myhren Gallery in the Shwayder Art Building.

“Some of the artists [in the show] are professional artists, some are teachers and some do something completely different,” says Dan Jacobs, DU art curator and Myhren Gallery director. “That’s an important message, that to continue to make art is something they should consider, regardless of whether they do it professionally or not.”

The show features work by 19 artists who attended DU, ranging from recent graduates to people who attended the University in the 1950s and 1960s. It includes paintings, sculpture, ceramics and new media. In addition to the main gallery show, an “in memoriam” exhibit spotlights work by late artists and alumni Roy Klein, Peter Dulan and Philip Perdew. A separate show titled False Reparation presents works by faculty members Catherine Chauvin (printmaking) and Mia Mulvey (ceramics).

Jacobs says the function of the alumni show, which happens every three years, is twofold — it’s a way to share with current students, local art lovers and campus at large the accomplishments of DU art grads, but it’s also a way for the School of Art and Art History to connect with its past.

“One of the interesting things about our situation, which is paralleled all over campus, is that it’s actually been challenging to find out who our alumni were,” he says. “All the trials and tribulations that the University went through financially up until the late 1980s, early 1990s, led to some record-keeping issues. There were some legacy issues with older records systems that didn’t really make the transition.

“This is one of the tools that we use to reconnect with our alumni and to try to create a community of alumni,” Jacobs adds. “It’s really fun that way — usually at the openings for these types of event I will encounter one or two alumni who will give me the names of some of their classmates.”

This year the alumni exhibition also is a vehicle to showcase recent developments at DU’s School of Art and Art History. Painting and drawing classes started this summer in the new Nagel Art Studio, a 12,500-square-foot structure located between Shwayder and the Ritchie Center. (The building will be dedicated Oct. 19.) Shwayder’s third floor has become a digital playground for DU’s program in electronic media arts design. Warhol in Colorado opens Jan. 20 in the Myhren Gallery and is sure to be one of 2011’s most-talked-about exhibits in Denver. It includes a collection of Polaroids by Andy Warhol, plus silkscreens, paintings, album covers and more by the famed pop artist.

“There have been a lot of positive developments over the past few years,” Jacobs says, “but this is really the point at which we can celebrate that in a more public way and a more obvious way.”

2010 Juried Alumni Exhibition opens with a reception from 5–8 p.m. Sept. 30. The exhibit runs through Nov. 14; regular hours are noon–4 p.m. daily. Admission is free.

For the original article

As mentioned in previous posts, the exhibition will be featuring 19 alumni artists selected for inclusion by guest jurors. It promises to be an exciting and varied show! Also of note will be the works of 3 late alumni who will be presented in an adjoining gallery. Presented in memoriam will be artists Roy Klein, Peter Dulan, and Philip Perdew.

Opening simultaneously is False Reparation: Prints and Ceramics by Catherine Chauvin and Mia Mulvey, a selection of works from 2 DU faculty. Please refer to our exhibition page for more information about these artists.

We’re looking forward to seeing you all at the opening on Thursday, September 30th!