Gallery Spotlight:

The Exhibit Space

by Ina Russell

Providing art in addition to information is central to library philosophy, explains Karen Ripley, library cultural programming director. “The public we serve is a broad and diverse group, and not necessarily familiar with the arts. Our library director, Marcelee Gralapp, has always believed there are things you can’t get in a book. You can’t hear music in a book. You can’t fully appreciate visual art or watch a film in a book. A good library should provide as many opportunities as possible for people to experience culture firsthand.”
In keeping with that philosophy, Ripley, a library committee and private citizens often focus shows on a particular theme such as the environment. They also feature art by Colorado artists through Open Studios, in which local artists open their studios to the public while their work is displayed at the Exhibit Space. Community shows such as the Boulder Valley School District Art Show, which showcases art by BVSD schoolchildren and faculty, are also gallery staples.
Special projects coordinator Carol Heepke applies similar principles when arranging traveling shows such as the Smithsonian Institution’s The Jazz Age in Paris: 1914-1940, which appears at the Exhibit Space June 2-July 13. Smithsonian photographs and storyboards provide a fascinating glimpse into the Parisian jazz age, which the library will complement through concerts, lectures and a Friday night film series. Call 303-441-4060 ext. 321 for recorded information.