Aspen Art Museum presents new art exhibit

ASPEN, Colorado — The Aspen Art Museum hosts the group exhibition “Unknown Pleasures,” featuring artwork by internationally renowned contemporary artists Sanford Biggers, Anne Collier, Jesper Just, Tim Lee, Euan Macdonald, Susan Philipsz, Ugo Rondinone, Melanie Schiff and Wilhelm Sasnal through Oct. 19.

Curated by the Aspen Art Museum’s Associate Curator Matthew Thompson, “Unknown Pleasures” features a selection of artists who explore the connection between music and melancholy in contemporary art. The artists work in a variety of media.

“Music has become both an aesthetic device and an important touchstone for many artists, and uses of emotive and psychological properties of sound also coincide with a current reinvestigation of the romantic notion of melancholy — historically identified as a state of malaise, disaffection and inactivity,” Thompson said. “The artists in ‘Unknown Pleasures’ explore these connections, but instead focus on its generative potential. Far from being an escape, melancholy’s imaginative reflection helps us envision new ways to constitute the world in the present.”

Along with works in the AAM Upper Gallery, “Unknown Pleasures” will feature an outdoor installation on the museum grounds and a full-color booklet.

The museum’s hours are as follows: Tuesday - Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday’s 10 a.m. to 7 p.m; Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. Closed Mondays and major holidays. Admission to the museum is free. Visit www.aspenartmuseum.org for more information.