Five psychedelic art galleries to visit in Denver
Colorado’s marijuana legalization prompted many visionary artists to move to Denver, hoping they’d find a scene free from a rigid mentality of what constitutes fine art, says muralist A.L. Grime. As a result, Denver has plenty of galleries showcasing psychedelic paintings and digital art, dripping with fractals, that you won’t find in more established art cities like New York, Chicago, and Washington, DC.
After a puff, there’s almost no better activity than exploring galleries, especially those filled with works of art that seem to be made for high-level people, by high-level people. Even if you don’t get high, works from these galleries can produce a similar effect. While Denver also has immersive psychedelic installations such as Meow Wolf’s Convergence station and Lighthouse Immersive’s Immersive Frida Kahloit’s always rewarding to show some love to local creatives and curators.
With 4/20 on the horizon, it’s high time to visit some of Denver’s psychedelic galleries. Here are five that are good starting points:
Ryan Joseph Gallery
2647 West 38th Avenue
Ryan Joseph Gallery’s curatorial team really know what they’re doing, and you might find the next Salvador Dalí in the stunning works here. The gallery leans towards surreal works imbued with mysterious meanings and intentions, created by local and international artists. An excellent solo exhibition by Brazilian artist Yusk Imai ends on Wednesday, April 13.
Threyda
878 Santa Fe Drive
Not only does Threyda host a collective of visionary artists, but it also sells clothing, usually emblazoned with the artwork you’ll find here. Threyda’s current exposure is visionary muses, which celebrates the “divine feminine” with stunning works by artists including Rose Drummand, Emily Kell and Ashley Spero. Don’t miss the next exhibition Flow and behold, which will feature famous visionary artists such as Randall Roberts, Morgan Mandala, Krystleyez and Sweet Melis. And watch for the upcoming First Friday, when the gallery comes alive with painters and DJ sets.
The Medusa Collective
7140 Hooker Street, Westminster
Local artists/muralists Amanda Wolf and Gina Ilczyszyn launched her gallery, the Medusa Collective, in the new Westminster Rail Station development area in December, and it has been going full steam ahead ever since. The show in progress, Minis, features miniature canvases by talented locals, with works ranging from psychedelic abstraction and mandalas to still life and pop art. The gallery rotates its exhibitions monthly, also organizes workshops and rents studios. Artists can submit to be part of the next show, Mushroom Kingdom: A Mycelium-Themed Experimentuntil May 2.
Mirus Gallery and Art Bar
1144 Broadway
Mirus not only offers some of the best opening nights in town, when artists are invited to bring their gear and doodle while the DJs play, but also some wild art. His last show great futureexplores NFTs and digital art with surreal abstract pieces, but we’re really looking forward to Truluv link: access grantedwhich opens April 29. Truluv describes his work as inviting “viewers to embark on an abstract journey through their own subconscious, blurring the lines between reality and fiction, the analog world and the digital world”.
IRL art
2601 Walnut Street, Unit 230
This speakeasy gallery is a must-see for anyone trying to understand the trendy intersection of cryptocurrency and art — and the work isn’t hard on the eyes either. IRL, which has been ahead of NFTs for some time under Annie Phillips, regularly hosts exhibits that include virtual and augmented reality and digital art; he also hosted a gallery for the ETHDenver crypto convention earlier this year with his Solar Punk Pin up. Take a look at the art of the future on the latest Metaverse show, ARCHITEC, which IRL describes as “more than a gallery, it’s a lifestyle”. What could be more psychedelic than diving into a whole new universe?
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