There was quite a bit of excitement around the Myhren Gallery last Thursday afternoon! We attracted a new audience, and they came in droves into the lobby of the art building, wearing nothing but swimsuits and towels. Some of the students at the School of Art and Art History wondered if there might be an art installation in progress, but the influx of oddly clad visitors was caused by the fire alarm sounding at the Ritchie Center. Everyone swimming in the pool was forced to evacuate for almost an hour, so the swimmers took refuge from the fall chill in nearby buildings.
As our impromptu guests soon discovered, the gallery is not a bad place to be stuck. Some members and coaches of the DU Swim Team were happy to pose for gallery director, Dan Jacobs, in front of Happy Life by Chen Wenling in the lobby. Many of the Ritchie refugees also ventured into the Juried Alumni Exhibition to enjoy the art while they waited for the all clear.
Luckily everyone was able to return to the Ritchie Center a short time later, but we were more than happy to play host to these unexpected visitors. If you were one of them, we hope that while the fire alarm was otherwise inconvenient, your experience here might make you consider coming back to visit us under better circumstances sometime soon!