People in the Common Ground exhibition

Exchange Connects Art, People & Ideas

Friday nights at the Denver Art Museum are about to become even more intriguing. In addition to Untitled Final Fridays, which visitors have been rocking for a fun 10 years now, let us introduce you to Exchange.

This new monthly program will invite participants to explore the DAM's collections and exhibitions through the lens of contemporary issues. Topics will vary from the pressing questions of our local communities to current concerns of the world at large.

Kicks Off November 10

Our Exchange kickoff will take place in the thought-provoking, beautiful, and poignant exhibition Common Ground: Photographs by Fazal Sheikh, 1989-2013, on Friday, November 10, from 6-7:30 pm.

The theme will be refuge. We'll be joined by Frank Anello (Project Worthmore), Dee Clarke (Close to Home), Chris Connor (Denver's Road Home), Rose Tanaka, a Japanese American internee from 1942-1944, Erica Meltzer (Denverite online magazine), and Juan Gallegos (Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition / CIRC Action Fund) in exploring Sheikh's gripping images of humanity in the face of displacement and marginalization due to military conflict, poverty, and exploitation.

Not Your Typical Museum Experience

Each monthly event will feature a timely theme and special guests from various local communities and organizations. Our fast-paced tour will be followed by an open, dynamic conversation that will connect the works on view with concerns and questions within our cities, neighborhoods, and world today. You'll have the chance to hear multiple points of view, lend your voice (or maybe even find it), and possibly leave with a new perspective on looking at art or a favorite work that you'll never forget.

Join the Conversation

During the month leading up to the program, check out Common Ground on your own and find an image that speaks to you most strongly about the idea of refuge. Share what refuge means to you by taking a picture of a work of art you see and tagging it on Twitter or Instagram with #DAMExchange and #DenverArtMuseum. In the caption, describe why the artwork connects with you and with the theme.

We'll include one of these crowd-sourced selections in our tour on the night of the program.

At the November 10 event in the galleries, join us for the tour and discussion as we explore together what refuge means to all of us and to our community right now, within the exhibition and beyond the museum's walls.