Material World 

May 19, 2013–January 4, 2015 | Denver Art Museum

Curated by William Morrow, Curator Contemporary Art, DAM

From recycled plastics and bound clothing to woven silks and charred tree limbs, Material World illustrates the wide range of materials and techniques used by contemporary artists. Largely drawn from the museum’s collection, with key loans from local collections, this exhibition illustrates the inventiveness of artists from many cultures and geographies. This group of emerging and internationally recognized artists pushes traditional notions of textile art, sculpture, painting, photography, and installation art to new limits.

Sometimes subversive in their use of materials, the artists in this exhibition address issues such as natural disasters, environmental waste, urban sprawl, and gender inequality as they further challenge our concepts of what art can be.

Recent acquisitions by Shinique Smith, Leonardo Drew, Tucker Nichols, and Ernesto Neto will be on view for the first time ever.