Museum
Clyfford Still Museum
1250 Bannock Street, Denver, CO 80204
“The measure of [an artist’s] greatness will be the depth of his insights and his courage in realizing his own visions.”
The museum is a sacred place. A museum is where the heritage of our humanity is preserved. Museums span the spectrum of archaeology, history, art, and science. Their collections preserve the past for both education and enjoyment. A museum can connect us with the past, while offering wisdom and guidance in how to live into the future.
The Clyfford Still Museum is dedicated solely to the work and life of Clyfford Still (1904–1980). Although Still remains an unknown artist to many, he was one of the first Abstract Expressionists whose work influenced the other more well-known midcentury painters Mark Rothko and Jackson Pollack.
Clyfford Still had a unique artistic vision and conviction. At the height of his popularity in the 1960’s, he withdrew from the art scene to work in seclusion. His decision would keep 95% of his artwork unseen. Following his death, all his work that was not in public domain was sealed from public view, closing off one of the most influential American painters of the 20th century.
In his will, somewhere between humble brilliance and absolute narcissism, Still offered his entire collection, over 3,000 pieces, as a gift to an America city, with a single condition. The city would build a monographic museum with only his art. No other art or artist would be included in the museum. The Clyfford Still Museum was built next door to the Denver Art Museum and opened in 2011. The museum collection represents over 93% of Still’s lifetime of work and holds one of the most complete public collections of any major artist in the world.
The Clyfford Still Museum is a unique experience as the entire museum is dedicated to preserving the history of a single human. Still believed the best way to experience his, or any other artists, art was by seeing it without the distraction or comparison to other artists. The galleries upstairs guide the viewer through a single artists growth and transformation. Downstairs the full collection is preserved and archived along with artifacts from the life and interests of Clyfford Still.
The Clyfford Still Museum is a historical archive of one individual’s work, but it is a lesson in living a life and creating without comparison to others. The museum faithfully represents the long journey of an individual who created with conviction and passion. It’s space cultivates courage and creativity in all ages with Art Crawls for infants and a studio filled with supplies in The Making Space. It is a museum that echoes the words and wisdom of Eugene Peterson, “It doesn’t work to copy or compare in life. Find out who you are.”
Most museums preserve the past. The best museums inspire the possibility of living wholeheartedly in the future. The museum is a sacred place.
