Two interesting new shows bend reality into representational art

Despite the many stylistic revolutions of the last century, the old hidebound pursuit of the depiction of external reality has persisted. In some cases, the rendering of external reality is conservative, as in neo-traditionalism, which occupies its own world. In others, it’s employed in what used to be called vanguard…

Five Star Wars mistakes that the new movies should avoid

It’s a common behavior of Star Wars fans: canonize the original trilogy, and get all hater-y on the screw-ups in Episodes I-III. But if the mistakes made in the second trilogy weren’t so completely soul-crushing and legacy-altering, then people wouldn’t be bitching about them to this day — and keeping…

Photos: Denver Day of Rock takes over the 16th Street Mall

The 16th Street Mall filled with music and people during the 2013 Denver Day of Rock on Saturday, May 25, 2013. More than twenty bands performed throughout the day, and Westword photographer Philip Poston was there to capture the action. For more photos, visit our full Denver Day of Rock…

Westword Book Club: J.A. Kazimer on dyslexia, peeing in a bottle and writing what you know

J.A. Kazimer is a Denver-based writer and fascinating human being with a wide spectrum of skills and interests. The author of books with such disparate titles as SHANK, Holy Socks and Dirtier Demons, and Froggy Style: A Fucked-Up Fairy Tale,Kazimer’s life and work have been uniquely influenced by the books she’s read. This week, Westword sat down with Kazimer to discuss books as well as her interesting work history.

More Facebook portraits of artists: A local treasury, part two

Artists really grok the culture of Facebook better than anyone else: Like a blank canvas waiting for paint and inspiration, the social media outlet is just another empty slate — and it’s up to each artist to fill it with pictures. A lot of those pictures end up being images…

Stan Lee cancels appearance at Denver Comic Con

Superhero legend and comic book creator Stan Lee, who was supposed to appear at Denver Comic Con at the Colorado Convention Center on May 31-June 2, announced today that he won’t be able to make it because of another engagement. Tickets to see and meet Lee, which ranged from $175…

Four abstract shows consider Mind Over Matter at Space Gallery

Space Gallery owner Michael Burnett is an established abstract painter, so it’s no surprise that he’d be good at picking others of that ilk to present at his venue. Currently, there are four eponymous solos brought together under the umbrella title of Mind Over Matter that make the point. The…

The eight hottest robots in pop-culture history

Robots are everywhere. From helping us find cat videos on the Internet to assembling other robots (yeah, that can’t end well), they’ve become almost as ubiquitous in real life as they have been in pop culture for years. This Saturday, the multimedia art exhibit Let’s Pretend We’re Robots opens at…

Noir @ the Bar celebrates red-meat fiction and remembers writer Cort McMeel

In the year and change that followed noir has continued its literary renaissance, and anticipation for a second set of live authorial readings of red meat crime stories has grown. Sadly, the year also witnessed the passing of organizer Cortright McMeel, a promising writer whose career was cut tragically short.

This years event, dedicated to McMeel’s memory, features readings from authors Christa Faust, J.L. Abramo, Norb Vonnegut, and Micheal Lion, with a live acoustic performance from Kristina Murray.