A prolific artist who exhibitsÌýnationally and internationally, Joel Swanson is having a successful spring. On April 15, his work,Ìý"Binary Pronouns," began streaming on , a 150-foot longÌýby 22-footÌýhigh array of 89 LED blades located in the lobby of the iconicÌý150 North Riverside building in Chicago. Earlier in the month, he joined a distinguished group of artists in the , an innovative art-loaning programÌýlinked to Denver's Museum of Contemporary Art that allows members to live with a work of contemporary art in their homes for severalÌýmonths before returning it to the collective.Ìý
Swanson explains, "Since the Museum of Contemporary Art isn't a collecting museum and can’t technically buy artwork to support local artists, the Octopus Initiative is a way to supportÌýlocal artists and getÌýtheir work into the hands of the public. They commission local artists to produce 25 works that then go on loan to the public through a free raffle system."
The brainchildÌýof Adam Lerner, exiting director of the MCA, the Octopus Initiative maintains aÌýrigorous evaluative process,Ìýbeginning with a nomination from aÌýleading member ofÌýthe Denver arts community, followed by a review by Denver's Museum of Contemporary Art’s curatorial team who evaluatesÌýa nominee's suitability for the program, conducting studio visits and reviewing a wide body of work.
Swanson, who earned a BFAÌýin digital art from ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ Boulder, has exhibited his work extensively, including the Venice Biennale 2017; Republic Plaza in Denver (solo exhibition through June 12); the Broad Museum in Lansing, Michigan; The Power Plant in Toronto;Ìýthe North Miami Museum of Contemporary Art;Ìýand Denver’s Museum of Contemporary Art, where he had a solo exhibition.
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