Image Source: Clyfford Still Museum
One of the leaders of the Abstract Expressionist movement, Clyfford Still was born in 1904 in North Dakota. During his lifetime, the artist sold only about 150 paintings, which are now housed in various museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. For the past 30 years, visiting the galleries of these museums was the only way to catch a glimpse of Still’s impressive body of work.
Following Still’s death in 1980, his personal collection of nearly 2,400 paintings, prints, and drawings has remained closed from public view – until now. In his will, Still stipulated that his entire estate be given to an American city which would establish a permanent museum to house his work. In 2004, Still’s widow, Patricia Still, announced that she had chosen Denver, Colorado to receive the artworks.
On November 18th, the Clyfford Still Museum finally opened its doors to the public. The museum will show only Still’s own work, and will not sell or loan any part of the collection. The museum galleries, totaling about 10,000 square feet, will show rotating exhibits of Still’s art, as well as his collection of letters, sketchbooks, photo albums, and manuscripts. Many of Still’s later works have never before been seen by the public.
The Clyfford Still Museum is located close to the Denver Art Museum, on the corner of 13th Avenue and Bannock St. Its hours are 10-5 on weekends and Tuesday through Thursday. Friday, the museum is open until 8 pm. Adult admission is $10.
