Each summer, Aspen transforms into a magnetic crossroads of nature, culture, and creativity, an alpine haven where galleries and collectors converge. Among the most anticipated voices returning to the Aspen Art Fair is gallerist Marianne Boesky, whose namesake gallery has long championed boundary-pushing contemporary artists. For Boesky, Aspen is not just a seasonal stop but a soul-nourishing retreat. Whether soaking in the stillness of the grottos, uncovering artistic gems at Anderson Ranch in Snowmass, or carving quiet turns under bright January skies, she finds inspiration where most overlook it. Whitewall caught up with Boesky to uncover her personal Aspen—a place of quiet power and unexpected beauty.
Courtesy of Marianne Boesky.
Sanford Biggers at Marianne Boesky, photo by Eliza Jordan.
WHITEWALL: What’s the best spot to find inspiration in Aspen?
MARIANNE BOESKY: Body and soul-wise, I love a quiet moment alone at the grottos. It’s a pretty special spot.
“Body and soul-wise, I love a quiet moment alone at the grottos,”
Marianne Boesky
WW: Where’s the best off-the-beaten-path to see art in Aspen?
MB: The Anderson Ranch in Snowmass!
WW: What’s the best-kept secret in Aspen?
MB: The month of January—town quiets down a bit after the holidays and you can get gorgeous blue bird ski days!
Marianne Boesky’s Aspen Favorites:
1. Embark on Aspen Art Fair
The Aspen Art Fair at Hotel Jerome, Aspen, CO, Opening Preview and Reception, photo by Zach Hilty, courtesy of The Aspen Art Fair.
The Aspen Art Fair is a one of a kind art, design, luxury travel, and hospitality takeover at the historic Hotel Jerome. Set against the backdrop of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, the Fair takes place each summer during Aspen Art Week, a critical moment on the art world calendar bringing artists, curators, gallerists and collectors from around the world to this small mountain enclave. – Source
2. Marianne Boesky Gallery Shines from New York to Aspen
Sarah Meyohas, “‘Interference #9,” 2022, © Sarah Meyohas and courtesy of Marianne Boesky Gallery.
Since its inception in 1996, Marianne Boesky Gallery’s mission has been to represent and support the work of contemporary international artists of all media. The gallery expanded its flagship location in 2016 to the adjacent space on West 24th Street. This space more than doubles the gallery’s footprint in Chelsea, allowing for ever more ambitious solo and group shows that highlight dynamic narratives and parallels across artist, media, and theme. In 2017, the gallery opened a location in Aspen, CO, presenting rotating exhibitions by both gallery artists and artists invited to present special projects. Marianne Boesky Gallery currently represents over 30 esteemed artists of different generations and backgrounds. These recent expansions highlight the gallery’s ongoing experimentations with space and architecture as well as its continued commitment to the needs and interests of its dynamic roster of artists from around the globe. – Source
3. Indulge in Tranquil Moments at The Grottos
Courtesy of TripAdvisor.
Tucked just outside Aspen along Independence Pass, the Grottos are a hidden enclave of natural wonder—an ethereal landscape of sculpted granite, cascading waterfalls, and icy caverns carved by the Roaring Fork River. Surrounded by towering pines and the hush of alpine air, the Grottos offer a meditative escape from the town’s buzz. Visitors can meander through smooth rock formations, peer into blue-tinted ice caves, or sit quietly beside shimmering pools, letting the elemental poetry of stone and water settle the mind.
4. Voyage to The Anderson Ranch Arts Center
Courtesy of Anderson Ranch Arts Center.
Founded in 1966, Anderson Ranch Arts Center is a premier destination for art making and critical dialogue, bringing together aspiring and internationally renowned artists to discuss and further their work in a stimulating environment. Nestled in the Rocky Mountains of Aspen/Snowmass, Colorado, the Ranch hosts an extensive array of workshops for aspiring, emerging, established artists, children and teens in seven disciplines, including Photography & New Media, Ceramics, Painting & Drawing, Furniture Design & Woodworking, Sculpture, Printmaking and Digital Fabrication. In addition, the Ranch hosts engaging community events throughout the year which feature local, national and international artists; and a year-round Artists-in-Residence Program, fostering artistic growth for emerging and established visual artists. – Source
5. Plan a Peaceful January Getaway to Aspen
MOLLIE Aspen, photo by Draper White.
Situated in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, Aspen has long been known as a mountainside center for arts and culture. The Aspen Idea—that a renewal of mind, body, and spirit can be achieved when all three are engaged— originated in the 1940s and remains an integral part of our community’s DNA. We are a destination like no other. Four mountains, two towns, and endless opportunities to connect—with nature and sport, culture and community, ourselves and each other. Honoring our past while striving for a brighter future, we are where place meets purpose. Join us and be reminded of yours. – Source
