Botanic Gardens’ show “Pixelated” straddles the organic/digital divide
The deceptively sprawling yet cozy grounds of Denver Botanic Gardens’ main location in Cheesman Park have proven an ideal gallery for outdoor art, given how organic-minded sculptures of glass, bamboo, wood and metal tend to mingle with the vines, flower petals and branches around them.
But the Gardens’ latest exhibit, “Pixelated,” takes a step back from the natural world with blocky, video game-influenced forms, offering a reallife representation of virtual objects such as Pac-man ghosts, but also cacti and birds. If they look familiar, that’s because artist Mike Whiting has shown in Colora-
do before — including in the River North neighborhood, where his sculptures have weathered the ele- ments (and plenty of graffiti).
“Pixelated,” which runs April 28-Sept. 23, exists in a more controlled but stilloutdoor environment, which is exactly what Whiting wanted.
“Gardens are in their own way virtual spaces — carefully created environments,” he said in a press statement. “The contrast of the sculptures’ geometric and man-made materials can seem at odds with the gardens, but they are connected in the dialogue about the re-presentation of nature.”
Not only nature, but humanity: Visitors may recognize a pair of Denver Public Art program figures imported for the program, Pinkie and Mr. Green, who formerly greeted traffic on Broadway. They’re durable, though, having been painted with automotive paint to withstand the elements.
In all, the exhibit includes four new sculptures made especially for it — Cactus, Garden Gnome, Sailboat and Wave — with nine others on loan from museums, private collectors and Whiting’s personal collection, according to the Botanic Gardens.
John Wenzel: 303-954-1642, jwenzel@denverpost.com or @johnwenzel