DENVER, CO.- Over the weekend, visitors to the Denver Art Museum completed an attempt to break a Guinness World Record™ for the world’s longest painting-by-number artwork. Visitors painted over 400 feet of canvas during the Museum’s What in the World? free weekend event. Ranging in age from over 90 to one year old, 3,344 eager artists painted on extremely large sections of canvas, adding color to an illustrated landscape. Designed by local artist Greg Carr, the landscape included such favorite Colorado landmarks as the Royal Gorge Bridge , Mesa Verde and even Denver ’s own Casa Bonita.
Visitors painted as late as midnight on Saturday evening; the work was finished at approximately 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 15. The painting was completed in long canvas sections, which will be sewn together to complete the 400+ foot artwork. The Museum has not yet decided how and when it will display the finished painting.
“Once it’s sewn together, the next step is to have the painting verified by Guinness,” said Lindsey Housel, from the Museum’s education department. “We must have signed statements of authentication by two independent upstanding members of the community,” Housel added. The Museum must submit other details, including accurate measurements made with professional equipment, the number of participants, and clips of media coverage. The information will be submitted this week to the Guinness World Records officials; however, Guinness makes no promise as to how soon they will authenticate the new record.
Over 10,000 people enjoyed music, performances and art during the What in the World? free weekend. The celebration marked the closing of RADAR: Selections from the Collection of Vicki and Kent Logan at the Museum, along with the opening of an exhibit called Clyfford Still Unveiled: Selections from the Estate. Clyfford Still is an abstract expressionist painter whose estate was given to the City of Denver . The Still exhibit at the Denver Art Museum is a preview of his work that will go on view at the Clyfford Still Museum , opening in 2010.
"I tried to put myself in the sense of Clyfford Still," said Denver’s Mayor John Hickenlooper, after painting the first section on the giant painting-by-number canvas. "How would Clyfford Still have done this? With a strong smooth stroke,” he surmised. If Denver ’s painting-by-numbers makes it into the Guinness Book of World Records™, it will be yet another accomplishment for the Mayor, the Denver Art Museum , and Denver ’s thriving arts community.
The Denver Art Museum is located on 13th Avenue between Broadway and Bannock Streets in downtown Denver . Open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Friday 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Sunday noon-5 p.m.; closed Mondays, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Admission for Colorado residents: $10 adults, $8 seniors and students; Colorado kids 18 and younger receive free general admission through September 2. Admission for non-Colorado residents: $13 for adults, $10 for seniors and students, $5 for visitors aged six to eighteen, free for children under 6. General Museum admission is free for Colorado residents the first Saturday of each month, thanks to citizens who support the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD). The Cultural Complex Garage is open; enter from 12th Avenue between Broadway and Bannock or check the DAM website for up-to-date parking information. Adaptive and interpretive services are available with one week's notice by calling 720-865-4502; TTY 720-865-5003. For information in Spanish, call 720-913-0169. For more information, call 720-865-5000 or visit www.denverartmuseum.org.
