preview: inspiring impressionism @ the denver art museum

If there’s one thing I miss, it’s my membership to the Denver Art Museum.  I received one as a gift years ago and used it constantly.   For quite awhile after that, I bought one annually and took advantage of the great savings it offered. Its value was most apparent when blockbuster travelling exhibits arrived. 

An example?

“Inspriring Impressionism”, set to take over DAM for a 3 month run starting this weekend.  Inspiring Impressionism features works from the likes of Cezanne, Pissaro, Monet, and several other masters of the form.  Their works will be placed next to the original pieces that inspired them, allowing viewers to compare and contrast the two.

Even the most revolutionary artistic movements are grounded in older traditions. Although the Impressionists’ work seemed a daring rejection of what came before, they did find inspiration in artists from the Renaissance to the eighteenth century. Some revered those Old Masters, some rejected the traditions of the past, and others took their lessons and re-invented them to reflect modern life.

In this extraordinary exhibition, you will see Impressionist works right next to the Old Master works that inspired them.

It’s sure to be mesmerizing. 

Non-members get stuck paying $20 per ticket.  For members?  Unlimited visits are included, with a limited number of guest passes available to share with friends.

Considering I’ll want to haunt the exhibit several times during its run, I’ll be plunking down my $50 for an individual membership and getting every penny’s worth in the coming months.  I’d recommend anyone else living in Denver do the same.  Except Greg, who’s had his for months.