For the second year, the Aspen Art Museum hosts Aspen ArtWeek, taking place August 1—6. The week’s events are highlighted by the 17th iteration of the ArtCrush summer gala and auction, held at the Aspen Skiing Company’s Buttermilk ski area on August 5. This year, ArtCrush will honor Gary Simmons in a presentation of the 2022 Aspen Award for Art. Over 50 works featured in the ArtCrush auction will be on display for public viewing throughout ArtWeek.
Before ArtWeek’s official start, the museum is putting on a Apichatpong Weerasethakul double feature at The Arts Campus at Willits as part of the “Mountain/Time” video exhibit. Weerasethakul’s Cannes Film Festival award-winning films Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Live and Memoria will be shown alongside an optional three-course dinner by Epicure Catering.
On August 2, Prada is co-hosting ArtWeek’s opening party on the rooftop of the Aspen Art Museum. The event will include a live poetry presentation from Precious Okoyomon (whose work is also on view at the museum) and a musical demonstration by Standing on the Corner, a musical collective.
Artist Eddie Rodolfo Aparicio will be talking with Suzanne Hudson, an art critic and associate professor of art history and fine arts at the University of Southern California, on August 3 at the Aspen Art Museum Rooftop. The artist will talk through his recent “Caucho” series, among other works, and how his art relates to themes of environmental justice.
The same day, Jeffrey Gibson has put together a flag twirling and speaking presentation at Anderson Park Meadow at the Aspen Institute. The performance, titled “THE SPIRITS ARE LAUGHING,” bears the same name as Gibson’s exhibition that will be on display at the Aspen Art Museum beginning in November. There, 15 color guard performers, donning helmet regalia created with tin and aluminum from commercial products, will bear flags designed by Gibson in this choreographed show.
Simmons will be sitting down for a talk with Travis Diehl, a critic, writer, and editor on August 4 at the Aspen Art Museum Rooftop. The pair of speakers are expected to discuss Simmons’ growth as an artist along with his inspiration and work materials.
Korakrit Arunanondchai and Alex Gvojic are working together to present “Together,” a ghost cinema performance, in collaboration with Tosh Basco. The Itinerant Cinema event will take place in an Aspen tree meadow on August 4 and draws inspiration from the animistic cinematic practices in Northeast Thailand.
Intersect Aspen will be open to the public July 31—August 4 at the Aspen Ice Garden, featuring new work seen for the very first time. 2022 marks the second in-person year of Intersect Aspen, and this year, the fair will present over 30 galleries from around the world together in Aspen.
ArtWeek will also feature multiple private collection visits, and funds are being raised to support the museum’s curatorial and educational programming.