Aspen’s Hidden Gallery
On the grounds of the Aspen Meadows, at the bottom of the Doerr-Hosier building, is one of Aspen’s best hidden secrets: the Resnick Gallery. There, works from around the world are exhibited, from ancient art and textiles of Tibet to a stunning collection of intaglios, etchings and large lithographs of pop artist and icon Jasper Johns.
Remarkably, despite the fame of the Aspen Meadows grounds (where the Aspen Institute is located), the Resnick Gallery remains unknown to many Aspenites. A visit there in summer—complete with a stroll among the outdoor art—is surely one of town’s most underappreciated art-viewing experiences.
In late June, Johns’ work gives way to that of Aspen’s cultural patron saint, Herbert Bayer. Bayer’s iconic architecture, earthworks and sculpture not only influenced an international artistic movement, but they largely define the aesthetic experience of the Aspen Institute as well.
“Geometry of an Illusionist: The Anthology Paintings of Herbert Bayer, 1976-1983,” on display at the Resnick Gallery from June 29 to Sept. 4, examines Bayer’s lifelong interest in mathematical systems, geometric forms, philosophical ideas and conceptual theories.
“The ancient Greeks believed the perfect universe was embodied in geometric form. Bayer thought of the world in these pure forms,” says gallery curator Bernhard Jazzar.
And indeed his vision is everywhere, from the Koch building Bayer designed with its hexagonally shaped rooms, to the undulating abstract sgraffito mural of Red Mountain on the outside of the building, to the grass mounds of Anderson Park with its 40-foot-wide grassy depression.
Winding along the outdoor walkways, intended to enhance the peripatetic traveler’s connection to nature, is a series of truncated “star” pillars created by Mexican sculptor Matthias Goeritz. They form the constellation of the Big Dipper, the two tallest pillars pointing to the North Star. Ahead lies the marble garden Bayer created in 1955 with 19 pieces of marble he found at an abandoned quarry near Aspen.
It makes sense that Andy Goldsworthy’s “Stone River,” the serpentine wall in front of the Doerr-Hosier building, leads to the Bayer exhibit. After all, Goldsworthy is Bayer’s logical successor. Bayer’s legacy lives on, through his own work and his influence in creating a setting where the work of other artists will be appreciated—now that you know it’s there.
Check aspensojourner.com to learn what follows the Bayer exhibit.
