This fall, DU’s Curatorial Practicum class had the exciting opportunity to work with local artist, publisher and collector Devon Dikeou. An innovative conceptual artist, Dikeou has been active in both the Denver and New York contemporary art scenes for years. Practicum students collaborated with artists Nils Folke Anderson, Lucky DeBellevue, and Dikeou herself to facilitate three installations at the Dikeou Collection.
In mid-October, the Curatorial Practicum ventured to New York City. On top of a day spent in studio with Folke Anderson, DeBellevue and Dikeou, highlights included a visit to rural Pennsylvania’s West Collection, a tour of one of Grey Advertising, and a behind the scenes look at the Willem de Kooning retrospective at MoMA. Hands-on interaction on such a personal level with practicing artists was an eye-opening experience for the Curatorial Practicum class. Enormous gratitude goes out to Dikeou for her pivotal role in organizing the trip, coordinating the studio visits and opening up her own Soho studio loft to the class.
Practicum class efforts culminated in three written pieces to be featured in Zing Magazine, due to be published in 2012. Folke Anderson, DeBellevue and Dikeou will continue their collaboration with the University of Denver this coming spring in a joint exhibition at the Myhren Gallery.
(Photos, top to bottom: Devon Dikeou; Lucky Debellevue; Nils Folke Anderson)