Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design 1600 Pierce Street Denver CO, 80214 303.753.6046 800.888.ARTS rmcad.edu

September 1, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COnTACT:

Cortney Stell

Gallery Director

cstell @ rmcad.edu :: 303.225.8575

Bringing Poetry and Art to Math and Science

DENVER, Colorado —Famous Italian artist Marco Nereo Rotelli will join Sioux poet Darren M. Grine in an exhibition

entitled "Poetic Crossings" coming to Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design (RMCAD) September 11th through

October 17th. The show will center on a project where Rotelli will direct 130 elementary school students in the painting

of a 40-yard canvas with a visual translation of Grine's poetry.

Rotelli is a native of Venice and has exhibited in major international museums, galleries and shows. He has also done

an installation on the Champs Elysées, and one for the Louis Vuitton Company. He specializes in integrating poetry into

his work, much as he will here. Grine is a member of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe. He has been writing Native

American poetry since 2004, and his influences derive from his Sioux heritage, history and culture. His poetry has been

published in Poet Tree Magazine and the Sota Iya Ye Yapi newspaper.

Rotelli and Grine will team up for a performance piece at Tattered Cover Bookstore, as well as the canvas painting which

will involve students from Denver's brand-new Mathematics and Science Leadership Academy [see attached Media

Advisory for locations and times]. The students' participation will show them the useful aspects of art and give them the

chance to use their skills in a creative way.

The Mathematics and Science Leadership Academy serves kindergarten through second grade students as a "choice"

Denver Public School. The Academy's primary focus is on science, technology, and mathematics with an engaging, handson

approach. As part of their mission to empower students to become leaders in their community, the school seeks out

unique projects like this one.

"This is a great opportunity for our students," Lori Nazareno, Lead Teacher at the Academy said. "It gives them the

chance to see that there's always a place for art and poetry—even in a curriculum dedicated to math and science. Giving

our students all the tools they need to become powerful, well-rounded citizens of the world is our number one goal, and

this experience will be just another one of those tools."

When it's complete, the students' canvas will be on display in RMCAD's Philip J. Steele Gallery along with 30 petite

paintings from Rotelli centered around the concept of cultural empowerment. The entire exhibition—including the

Tattered Cover performance, the Academy project, and the gallery show—is open and free to the public.

Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design is a private, fully-accredited school, founded in 1963, offering BFAs in a variety of art and design

disciplines. RMCAD's gallery system features regular exhibits from students, faculty, alumni, and world-renowned visiting artists.

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Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design 1600 Pierce Street Denver CO, 80214 303.753.6046 800.888.ARTS rmcad.edu

September 1, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COnTACT:

Cortney Stell

Gallery Director

cstell @ rmcad.edu :: 303.225.8575

MEDIA ADvISORy

Famous Italian artist Marco Nereo Rotelli and Sioux poet Darren M. Grine bring "Poetic Crossings" to Rocky Mountain

College of Art + Design (RMCAD).

Three events, one exhibition:

Event #1: "Poetry Crossings": Tattered Cover Performance

Who: Marco Nereo Rotelli

Darren M. Grine

Open to the public

What: A performance where Grine will read from his work as Rotelli visually translates the poems onto scrolls.

When: Tuesday, September 8, 2009 at 7:30pm.

Where: Tattered Cover Bookstore

2526 East Colfax Avenue, Denver

Event #2: "Colours Crossings": Math and Science Leadership Academy Project

Who: Marco Nereo Rotelli

Darren M. Grine

130 students from Denver's Mathematics and Science Leadership Academy

Open to the public

What: Rotelli and Grine collaborate with the students to paint a 40-foot canvas. The canvas will be on

display as part of the RMCAD exhibition.

When: Thursday, September 10, 2009 from 1–3pm.

Where: Mathematics and Science Leadership Academy

451 South Tejon Street, Denver

Event #3: "Languages Crossings": Opening Reception for RMCAD Exhibition

Who: Marco Nereo Rotelli

Darren M. Grine

Open to the public

What: Opening reception for "Languages Crossings." One side of the gallery will feature the canvas, the other,

30 petite paintings from Rotelli centered around the concept of cultural empowerment.

When: Friday, September 11, 2009 from 6–9pm. Exhibition runs through October 17.

Where: The Philip J. Steele Gallery at Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design

1600 Pierce Street, Denver

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