Denver gets a wonderfully different kind of museum night on Friday, October 23, when the Clyfford Still Museum presents Other Sounds, an evening of experimental performances that turns its quiet galleries into a place for deep listening. The program runs from 6 to 9 p.m., with the galleries open before and after the music so visitors can move between Clyfford Still’s sweeping abstract paintings and live sound unfolding around them.
Presented in conjunction with the exhibition Still in Sound and developed in collaboration with Denver sound artist Ben Coleman, Other Sounds explores the expressive possibilities of noise, texture, feedback and sonic abstraction. Performances by Adan de la Garza, Phillip David Stearns, Leah Bertrand and Alex Nees will unfold throughout the galleries in three sets, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., blurring the boundaries between performance, installation and improvisation.
The museum says the evening is designed to slow visitors down, spark curiosity and open unexpected ways of seeing Still’s art — hearing sound as a material with its own physical presence and emotional resonance. It is also a joyful showcase for Denver’s own artistic community, right in the Golden Triangle Creative District at 1250 Bannock Street.
Tickets are $15 for adults, $13 for seniors and $5 for museum members, and space is limited, so advance registration is required through the museum. Whether you are a longtime listener or completely new to experimental sound, Happy City News recommends arriving early for the first gallery half-hour and letting the art — and the sound — surprise you.
Photo: Sandersenvie / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
