Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art
Encyclopedia
Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art is an art museum in Denver, Colorado
. The museum houses three principal collections and includes the historic school and studio of artist Vance Kirkland (1904–1981). The 1911 Arts & Crafts style building is listed as a member of Historic Artists’ Homes and Studios, a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation
, along with the homes and studios of Jackson Pollock
/Lee Krasner
, Charles Russell
, Georgia O’Keeffe, Thomas Hart Benton, Charles Burchfield, N. C. Wyeth
, Grant Wood
and others.
. This building served as Read's Students' School of Art, and, until 1922, a meeting place for the fledgling Denver Art Museum.
In January 1929, Vance Kirkland became the founding Director of the current School of Art at the University of Denver
. In 1932 he resigned from the University of Denver when they would not grant credit for art courses toward graduation, and leased Read's Pearl Street property. He ran the Kirkland School of Art until 1946, with classes accredited by the University of Colorado
(1933–1946), when he returned as Director of the Art School at the University of Denver, retiring in 1969. Kirkland had, by that time purchased the 1311 Pearl Street building and used it as his personal studio until his death in 1981.
After his death, Vance Kirkland willed his estate to longtime family friend Hugh Grant. In 1998, under the direction of Grant, construction began on an adjoining facility, adding 7,933 sq. ft. to the original 3011 sq. ft. Completed in 2002, the addition allows for expanded exhibition space and visitor amenities, while maintaining the integrity of the original studio. The museum opened to the public in April 2003 under Founding Director and Curator Hugh Grant.
The original exterior wall and similar roof tiles of the 1910-1911 building can be viewed from the main exhibition room of this new addition, and the studio work room has been maintained virtually as Kirkland left it. This is indicative of the museum's commitment to preserving the original architectural integrity of the building. The addition faithfully reflects the Arts & Crafts style of the old studio building.
(1) International Decorative Arts Collection: Displays objects from the decorative art movements of Arts & Crafts
, Aesthetic, Art Nouveau
, Glasgow Style, Wiener Werkstätte
, De Stijl
, Bauhaus
, Art Deco
, Modern, and Pop Art
. The collection focuses on objects from c. 1860 to 1980. Over 3,300 objects are on view at any time. According to scholars, including Patr icia Kane, Curator of American Decorative Arts, Yale University, “Nowhere else in the country can one see such a comprehensive presentation of international twentieth-century design.” Peter Loughrey, Director Los Angeles Modern Auction, similarly stated, “I believe your museum has the finest survey of 20th century design on view in America today.”
(2) Colorado/Regional Collection: More than 170 artists are represented by over 700 works on view at any one time. At Kirkland Museum, visitors can see, in depth, the history of Colorado art from traditional through modern (mainly 1874-1980). Two Denver art critics have said: “…the Kirkland became the state’s most important repository of Colorado art." “…the Kirkland has quickly become the largest repository of such Colorado work anywhere.”
(3) Kirkland Retrospective: Vance Kirkland (1904–1981) painted over 1,100 paintings, with works spanning 54 years, ranging from Realism
to Surrealism
to Abstract Expressionism
to his later abstraction. Paintings with Kirkland’s unique oil and water mixtures, as well as his watercolor and denatured alcohol mixtures are always on view. A rotating selection of all five of Kirkland’s painting periods is shown, including his idiosyncratic late dot paintings. Kirkland’s paintings have been widely exhibited at 70 museums and 30 universities in 13 countries and 32 states. A one-hour television documentary, Vance Kirkland’s Visual Language—with seven curators and directors from five American museums—was aired on PBS stations from 1994-1996.
(a) Most large city museums are displayed more sparsely than the Kirkland, and decorative art and fine art are usually shown in separate rooms. Kirkland Museum is arranged in “salon style” much like a home where—similar to the Barnes Foundation (Philadelphia), the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
(Boston), the Neue Galerie
(NYC), and a few others—fine and decorative art is exhibited together.
(b) In addition to paintings and sculpture being displayed together with furniture, groupings or vignettes are often arranged which showcase a particular design period such as Art Deco. Furniture is frequently accessorized with period radios, phones, lamps and other items. Many museums display furniture on risers, but furniture was never meant to be on risers, so most furniture is placed on the floor at the Kirkland.
(c) Another exhibition characteristic of the Kirkland is “comparative display” where more than one design style is shown in the same gallery. This has been particularly helpful to college classes when students can compare Arts & Crafts, Art Nouveau, Glasgow Style and Wiener Werkstätte in the same room for instance.
The museum does not allow children under 13 years of age due to the fragile nature of the collections on display.
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. The museum houses three principal collections and includes the historic school and studio of artist Vance Kirkland (1904–1981). The 1911 Arts & Crafts style building is listed as a member of Historic Artists’ Homes and Studios, a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation
National Trust for Historic Preservation
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is an American member-supported organization that was founded in 1949 by congressional charter to support preservation of historic buildings and neighborhoods through a range of programs and activities, including the publication of Preservation...
, along with the homes and studios of Jackson Pollock
Jackson Pollock
Paul Jackson Pollock , known as Jackson Pollock, was an influential American painter and a major figure in the abstract expressionist movement. During his lifetime, Pollock enjoyed considerable fame and notoriety. He was regarded as a mostly reclusive artist. He had a volatile personality, and...
/Lee Krasner
Lee Krasner
Lee Krasner was an influential abstract expressionist painter in the second half of the 20th century. On October 25, 1945, she married artist Jackson Pollock, who was also influential in the Abstract Expressionism movement....
, Charles Russell
Charles Russell
- People :* Charles Addison Russell , U.S. Representative from Connecticut* Charles Albert George Russell , Essex and England batman* Charles Edward Russell , American muckraking journalist, author, and activist...
, Georgia O’Keeffe, Thomas Hart Benton, Charles Burchfield, N. C. Wyeth
N. C. Wyeth
Newell Convers Wyeth , known as N.C. Wyeth, was an American artist and illustrator. He was the pupil of artist Howard Pyle and became one of America's greatest illustrators...
, Grant Wood
Grant Wood
Grant DeVolson Wood was an American painter, born four miles east of Anamosa, Iowa. He is best known for his paintings depicting the rural American Midwest, particularly the painting American Gothic, an iconic image of the 20th century.- Life and career :His family moved to Cedar Rapids after his...
and others.
History
The original historic school/studio (1910–1911), which is preserved as part of the larger Kirkland Museum, is the oldest commercial art building in Denver and the second oldest in Colorado (after the Van Briggle Memorial Pottery in Colorado Springs of 1908). The building was designed in a distinctive Arts & Crafts style by architects Maurice Biscoe and Henry Hewitt. The building at 1311 Pearl Street was commissioned by Henry Read (1851–1935), one of thirteen founders of the Artists' Club, which later became the Denver Art MuseumDenver Art Museum
The Denver Art Museum is an art museum in Denver, Colorado located in Denver's Civic Center.It is known for its collection of American Indian art,and has a comprehensive collection numbering more than 68,000 works from across the world....
. This building served as Read's Students' School of Art, and, until 1922, a meeting place for the fledgling Denver Art Museum.
In January 1929, Vance Kirkland became the founding Director of the current School of Art at the University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
. In 1932 he resigned from the University of Denver when they would not grant credit for art courses toward graduation, and leased Read's Pearl Street property. He ran the Kirkland School of Art until 1946, with classes accredited by the University of Colorado
University of Colorado
The University of Colorado system is a system of public universities in Colorado consisting of three universities in four campuses: University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, and University of Colorado Denver in downtown Denver and at the Anschutz Medical Campus in...
(1933–1946), when he returned as Director of the Art School at the University of Denver, retiring in 1969. Kirkland had, by that time purchased the 1311 Pearl Street building and used it as his personal studio until his death in 1981.
After his death, Vance Kirkland willed his estate to longtime family friend Hugh Grant. In 1998, under the direction of Grant, construction began on an adjoining facility, adding 7,933 sq. ft. to the original 3011 sq. ft. Completed in 2002, the addition allows for expanded exhibition space and visitor amenities, while maintaining the integrity of the original studio. The museum opened to the public in April 2003 under Founding Director and Curator Hugh Grant.
The original exterior wall and similar roof tiles of the 1910-1911 building can be viewed from the main exhibition room of this new addition, and the studio work room has been maintained virtually as Kirkland left it. This is indicative of the museum's commitment to preserving the original architectural integrity of the building. The addition faithfully reflects the Arts & Crafts style of the old studio building.
Collections
The museum houses three primary collections, an international decorative arts collection, a regional collection with a focus on Colorado art, and a retrospective of the work of Vance Kirkland.(1) International Decorative Arts Collection: Displays objects from the decorative art movements of Arts & Crafts
Arts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts was an international design philosophy that originated in England and flourished between 1860 and 1910 , continuing its influence until the 1930s...
, Aesthetic, Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
, Glasgow Style, Wiener Werkstätte
Wiener Werkstätte
Established in 1903, the Wiener Werkstätte was a production community of visual artists. The workshop brought together architects, artists and designers whose first commitment was to design art which would be accessible to everyone...
, De Stijl
De Stijl
De Stijl , propagating the group's theories. Next to van Doesburg, the group's principal members were the painters Piet Mondrian , Vilmos Huszár , and Bart van der Leck , and the architects Gerrit Rietveld , Robert van 't Hoff , and J.J.P. Oud...
, Bauhaus
Bauhaus
', commonly known simply as Bauhaus, was a school in Germany that combined crafts and the fine arts, and was famous for the approach to design that it publicized and taught. It operated from 1919 to 1933. At that time the German term stood for "School of Building".The Bauhaus school was founded by...
, Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
, Modern, and Pop Art
Pop art
Pop art is an art movement that emerged in the mid 1950s in Britain and in the late 1950s in the United States. Pop art challenged tradition by asserting that an artist's use of the mass-produced visual commodities of popular culture is contiguous with the perspective of fine art...
. The collection focuses on objects from c. 1860 to 1980. Over 3,300 objects are on view at any time. According to scholars, including Patr icia Kane, Curator of American Decorative Arts, Yale University, “Nowhere else in the country can one see such a comprehensive presentation of international twentieth-century design.” Peter Loughrey, Director Los Angeles Modern Auction, similarly stated, “I believe your museum has the finest survey of 20th century design on view in America today.”
(2) Colorado/Regional Collection: More than 170 artists are represented by over 700 works on view at any one time. At Kirkland Museum, visitors can see, in depth, the history of Colorado art from traditional through modern (mainly 1874-1980). Two Denver art critics have said: “…the Kirkland became the state’s most important repository of Colorado art." “…the Kirkland has quickly become the largest repository of such Colorado work anywhere.”
(3) Kirkland Retrospective: Vance Kirkland (1904–1981) painted over 1,100 paintings, with works spanning 54 years, ranging from Realism
Realism
Realism, Realist or Realistic are terms that describe any manifestation of philosophical realism, the belief that reality exists independently of observers, whether in philosophy itself or in the applied arts and sciences. In this broad sense it is frequently contrasted with Idealism.Realism in the...
to Surrealism
Surrealism
Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members....
to Abstract Expressionism
Abstract expressionism
Abstract expressionism was an American post–World War II art movement. It was the first specifically American movement to achieve worldwide influence and put New York City at the center of the western art world, a role formerly filled by Paris...
to his later abstraction. Paintings with Kirkland’s unique oil and water mixtures, as well as his watercolor and denatured alcohol mixtures are always on view. A rotating selection of all five of Kirkland’s painting periods is shown, including his idiosyncratic late dot paintings. Kirkland’s paintings have been widely exhibited at 70 museums and 30 universities in 13 countries and 32 states. A one-hour television documentary, Vance Kirkland’s Visual Language—with seven curators and directors from five American museums—was aired on PBS stations from 1994-1996.
Different Display Approach
The three collections make Kirkland Museum different than other museums, but the unusual way they are displayed give the visitor an alternative museum experience.(a) Most large city museums are displayed more sparsely than the Kirkland, and decorative art and fine art are usually shown in separate rooms. Kirkland Museum is arranged in “salon style” much like a home where—similar to the Barnes Foundation (Philadelphia), the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum or Fenway Court, as the museum was known during Isabella Stewart Gardner's lifetime, is a museum in the Fenway-Kenmore neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, located within walking distance of the Museum of Fine Arts and near the Back Bay Fens...
(Boston), the Neue Galerie
Neue Galerie
The Neue Galerie New York is a museum of early twentieth-century German and Austrian art and design located at 86th Street and Fifth Avenue in New York City, United States...
(NYC), and a few others—fine and decorative art is exhibited together.
(b) In addition to paintings and sculpture being displayed together with furniture, groupings or vignettes are often arranged which showcase a particular design period such as Art Deco. Furniture is frequently accessorized with period radios, phones, lamps and other items. Many museums display furniture on risers, but furniture was never meant to be on risers, so most furniture is placed on the floor at the Kirkland.
(c) Another exhibition characteristic of the Kirkland is “comparative display” where more than one design style is shown in the same gallery. This has been particularly helpful to college classes when students can compare Arts & Crafts, Art Nouveau, Glasgow Style and Wiener Werkstätte in the same room for instance.
Museum Information
The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday, from 11:00am to 5:00pm and is closed on Mondays and major holidays.The museum does not allow children under 13 years of age due to the fragile nature of the collections on display.