Clyfford Still Museum, Denver

Museum

Clyfford Still Museum
Denver, CO

Clyfford Still (1904-1980), a prolific abstract expressionist painter, had a long career but, in 1951, attenuated his relationship with commercial galleries and exhibited little of his work until his death.

Still was born in North Dakota and lived much of his life in Maryland, but Denver was selected, after Still’s death, with prior designation by him that a museum be established in a city willing to provide “permanent quarters” to his work.

This lovely little museum sits right around the back of the Denver Museum of Art. With the idea and funding established by a gift from the estates of Clyfford Still and his wife Patricia Still donated to the City of Denver in 2004/2005, the museum opened in November, 2011.

It contains a selective survey of the artist’s works, ranging from early, figurative paintings, to the large, abstract canvases for which he is best known. There is also a room of drawings, also exhibiting this full range of styles. It gives one a great opportunity to follow Still’s creative development and to become immersed in the evolving dimensions of his work.

The museum, as well, contains a vault in which many of Still’s paintings are kept. All told, about 94% of Still’s work is held by the museum, much of it awaiting display during planned regular rotations.

– BADMan