by Jessica Hughes
Big things are happening at the Denver Art Museum (DAM). With recent announcements regarding its phased re-openings of their latest renovations plus the highly anticipated Claude Monet exhibit, all eyes are on the DAM.
Photo Credit: Princeton University Art Museum/Art Resource, NY.
Opening October 21, 2019, the DAM will be the host to the most comprehensive collection of Claude Monet paintings that the United States has seen in more than two decades. Claude Monet: The Truth of Nature will feature about 120 works spanning the famed artist’s entire career, focusing on his extensive travels and intimate relationship with nature. The exhibit will examine Monet’s interest of changing environments, the reflective qualities of water, and the effects of light. Plus, the exhibit will explore his journeys to various places including the Normandy coast, London, Norway, and the Netherlands.
“Throughout his career, Monet was indefatigable in his exploration of the different moods of nature, seeking to capture the spirit of a certain place and translating its truth onto the canvas,” said Angelica Daneo, Chief Curator and Curator of European Art before 1900 at the DAM.
The exhibition will fill three distinct galleries totaling about 20,000 square feet. Featured works will include artworks from the beginning of his career with View from Rouelles, the first painting Monet exhibited in 1858 when he was 18 years old, up to his later work of The House Seen through the Roses, completed just a few months before his death. Other highlights will include Under the Poplars from a private collection and Water Lilies and Japanese Bridge from the Princeton University Art Museum.
In coordination with Museum Barberini in Postdam, Germany, the DAM will be the single U.S. venue for this exhibition from October 21, 2019 through February 2, 2020, moving to the Museum Barberini in the spring of 2020.
Beyond the DAM’s latest exhibit, other exciting announcements were recently made regarding the museum’s renovations. In June 2020 the DAM will begin its phased reopening with the reveal of the three levels of the Martin Building (formerly known as the North Building), the new Sie Welcome Center, and the Bartlit Learning and Engagement Center. To commemorate the building’s 50th anniversary, the completed renovation will be revealed at the end of 2021.
Rendering provided by BOSS architecture.
Coinciding with the first reopening phase of the DAM’s Martin Building will be the unveiling of two new dining establishments (located inside the Sie Welcome Center) set to open in June 2020, The Ponti and Café Gio. Named after the original Martin Building designer and Italian architect, Gio Ponti, both restaurants will offer two distinct spaces for museum visitors and the surrounding areas.
Rendering by Fentress Architects and Machado Silvetti.
The Ponti brings a big name to the table with Jennifer Jasinski as the consulting chef. As a James Beard Award winner and popular Denver chef of Euclid Hall, Bistro Vendome, and others, Jasinski will develop menu concepts and have a strong influence in the selection of the restaurant’s culinary staff. Combining art and dining, The Ponti will offer a seasonal menu with locally sourced ingredients with an emphasis on vegetables, handmade pastas, plus meat and fish. The artfully designed and well-crafted restaurant will boast both indoor and outdoor dining, with its expansive outdoor terrace.
“Creativity at the Denver Art Museum won’t stop at the galleries when we begin our phased reopening. We’re delighted to present artful dining experiences to the museum visit, alongside an incredible staff with the expertise to bring our vision into reality,” said Christoph Heinrich, Frederick and Jan Mayer Director of the museum.
The other restaurant set to open, Café Gio, will be a fast-casual dining option open seven days a week during the museum business hours. Visitors will be able to enjoy both indoor and outdoor seating, as well, at the café.
For more information visit www.denverartmuseum.org or call 720-865-5000.