Denver, CO
This photographer usually captures ‘old Denver.’ Now Juan Fuentes is focusing on immigrant experiences with a show at the Denver Art Museum
Standing in entrance of photographer Juan Fuentes’ set up on the Denver Artwork Museum appears like being in somebody’s front room. A mantle lined in cloth shows household portraits. Ornate gold frames and a picture printed on silk — framed by lace — add to the impact that you’re standing in your grandmother’s dwelling.
“To me, that’s consolation. That’s a protected area. Illustration, and with the ability to see ourselves in these huge establishments, is essential and could be very intentional inside my determination to inform this story,” Fuentes mentioned.
The intimacy he creates with the exhibit area displays what he has captured within the pictures and artwork items on the partitions of the work, “On the Filth, Our Knees Inform Truths,” and in Spanish, “En la Tierra, Nuestras Rodillas Dicen Verdades.” The title is borrowed from a poem by Salvadoran poet Javier Zamora. To Fuentes, the title is supposed to signify the truths of people that work the land.
“The immigrant expertise, for probably the most half, right here in the US additionally comes with very onerous labor,” Fuentes mentioned in an interview with CPR Information.
Photographs by Fuentes, in addition to ones he has curated from his brother and a good friend, present moments in kitchens, backyards, and in locations that make up a hometown — whether or not that’s in Denver or in Mexico. Fuentes was born in Chihuahua, Mexico, however has spent a lot of his life in Denver after immigrating as a 1-year-old.
Fuentes just isn’t a widely known title within the artwork world – at the very least not but. He’s a homegrown creator whose work is a part of an exhibition of 19 Latin American artists referred to as “Who Tells a Story Provides a Tail,” which runs on the Denver Artwork Museum by way of March 5, 2023.
Domestically, he’s finest recognized for an Instagram account he created, @olddenver, which captures how a lot town is altering. For Fuentes, the DAM exhibition is a chance to get much more private than within the Instagram account.
Fuentes spoke with Colorado Issues senior host Ryan Warner. That is an edited transcript of their dialog.
Ryan Warner: I perceive that if you have been little, you used disposable cameras to seize components of your life.
Juan Fuentes: Yeah, it was largely simply on household holidays, for no matter cause, I ended up with the cameras in my hand. Plenty of my recollections which might be nonetheless round come from disposable cameras. With this exhibition, I used to be undoubtedly making an attempt to faucet into that feeling I used to get from getting a disposable digicam again. So a number of the pictures that you simply see unframed are literally from a disposable digicam. This was a collaboration between my brother and me. I might ship him the cameras in Chihuahua, Mexico. I informed him to doc as if we have been again on our summer season journeys and taking the pictures of the issues that we grew up with, like the large cathedral on the middle of town, and in my grandma’s yard — my uncle’s garments are virtually all the time hanging within the again.
Warner: What’s a picture you made on this assortment that’s notably significant for you?
Fuentes: The primary picture that it begins with is a really significant one. It is outdoors of this bus station in Denver referred to as Los Paisanos. This can be a {photograph} that I took again in 2017 whereas folks have been boarding the final bus of the day, which is the late bus. It is significant to me as a result of it is a part of my reminiscence; going again to Mexico as a child was all the time hopping onto the late bus at Los Paisanos and attending to see so many households going again dwelling to reconnect. It’s only a very particular picture that brings again numerous recollections – the scent of the bus, getting excited as a result of I might create a CD combine for the journey again to my hometown, as a result of normally it was a couple of 20 hour bus journey. So all the time getting excited to only be on the bus, get to see the surroundings, hearken to some new music. After which additionally the thrill of figuring out that the next day, I might be again dwelling.
Warner: What story do you hope to inform, or expertise do you hope to get throughout, with this present?
Fuentes: I hope that immigrants experiencing issues much like me can see themselves and discover the little particulars that time at the truth that I’m an immigrant. And that these are numerous issues that we have all used to reconnect to our hometown, and numerous us coming from Mexico. Exterior of the pictures, I additionally created a cross made out of those Telcel or Telmex playing cards, which have been lengthy distance telephone playing cards that I used to gather in Mexico. These are the gadgets and the artifacts that we grew up on. So to me, the story I wished to inform is my very own private one, however with the hopes that lots of people can connect with it and see themselves inside that.
Warner: Had been you into artwork usually, past disposable cameras, if you have been a child?
Fuentes: Oh yeah, I used to be all the time drawing, portray, did graffiti, skateboarding, made music, ever since I used to be a child. Skateboarding taught me a lot – studying fail is essential in your observe in artwork, and skateboarding taught me numerous that.
Warner: What’s the thought behind the previous Denver Instagram account?
Fuentes: Initially it was to share pictures that resembled the issues that I grew up with in Denver that I felt like have been fading away on account of gentrification. And it type of grew into this group area the place folks have been sharing their pictures as effectively. To me, it appears like this digital archive that is type of dwelling and respiratory, but additionally appears like a puzzle that had been scattered that’s getting put again collectively.
Warner: What would you say to somebody across the age you have been if you have been skateboarding and taking pictures with a disposable digicam – somebody who has a flame of inventive expertise and is questioning direct it?
Fuentes: Simply to experiment and belief your self. And do not be afraid to inform your story. I believe it is vital for artists to know that artwork could be a place the place we can provide ourselves a voice and a possibility to be authors of our personal tales.
Different work by Fuentes is on show on the Anythink Library in Bennett, and at Re:Imaginative and prescient Co-op in Denver. In October, he’ll open an set up contained in the Aurora Central Library.
Denver, CO
‘I’m good.’ Bengals’ Amarius Mims says he’ll play vs. Denver Broncos after ankle injury
Amarius Mims thinks he’ll be ready for the biggest game of the Cincinnati Bengals’ season.
In Sunday’s win over the Cleveland Browns, Mims, an offensive tackle, was hampered by an ankle injury. He was in and out of the game as he battled the injury.
With a make-or-break home game against the Denver Broncos coming Saturday, Mims told The Enquirer’s Kelsey Conway he anticipated playing in the game.
“No, I’m good,” Mims told The Enquirer in the Bengals’ locker room post-game.
Absent Mims, the Bengals would be thin at tackle. That would make for less than ideal circumstances for quarterback Joe Burrow in a game of real significance.
After dropping to 4-8 on Dec. 1, the Bengals have played their way back to 7-8 and are attempting to overtake several teams including the Broncos for the final AFC Wild Card spot.
Saturday’s game against Denver is scheduled for a 4:30 p.m. kickoff and will be broadcast on NFL Network.
Denver, CO
Suns lookahead: Phoenix looks to end Christmas skid in holiday matchup vs. Denver Nuggets
Phoenix Suns coming off back-to-back wins
The Phoenix Suns won their last two games despite missing injured guard Bradley Beal. What’s next for the team?
The Phoenix Suns will play in their fourth consecutive Christmas Day game Wednesday against the Denver Nuggets at Footprint Center.
The week begins with a Monday game at Denver and finishes with a back-to-back set: Friday’s home game against the Dallas Mavericks and Saturday’s matchup at Golden State.
It’s nice to play on the most celebrated holiday of the year, especially at home.
Family and loved ones in town. Everyone watching on national television.
A festive time for celebrating and gift-giving, but the Grinch keeps showing up and ruining Christmas for the Suns.
Phoenix is 1-7 in its past eight Christmas games, losing the past three to the Golden State Warriors, 116-107, in 2021; at the Denver Nuggets, 128-125 in overtime, in 2022; and against Dallas, 128-114, last year.
What’s even crazier is the Suns lost to teams that either won an NBA championship or reached the finals that season.
The Warriors won it all in the 2021-22 season, the Nuggets took it in 2022-23 and the Mavericks advanced to the finals before losing to the 2023-24 NBA champion Boston Celtics.
The Suns last won on Christmas in 2009, beating the Los Angeles Clippers, 124-93, at home. Phoenix went more than 10 seasons without playing on the holiday until the 2021-22 season, the year after it reached the 2021 finals.
Phoenix is 12-9 overall on Christmas.
Christmas 2021: Curry leads Warriors past Suns
The Suns played the centerpiece Christmas game in 2021 against the Warriors during their historic 64-win season. They entered the marquee matchup with a 26-5 record and on a five-game winning streak, but lost at home.
Phoenix bolstered the best home record that season at 32-9 with one of those rare losses coming on Christmas. The Suns didn’t score in the final three minutes while Otto Porter Jr. scored the game’s final seven points.
Stephen Curry punched out a game-high 33 points to go with six assists to just one turnover while Chris Paul led the Suns with 21 points and eight assists to two turnovers and six rebounds.
Devin Booker managed just 13 points on 5-of-19 shooting.
Christmas 2022: Booker injured early, Suns fall in OT
In 2022, the Suns lost Booker within the first five minutes of their Christmas loss to the Nuggets at Ball Arena in Denver as he aggravated a groin injury. Scoring just two points, he had missed the previous three games.
Landry Shamet came off the bench to deliver 31 points to match a career-high, and Nikola Jokic posted another insane triple-double of 41 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists, but the game will forever be remembered for Aaron Gordon’s ferocious one-handed dunk in overtime over Shamet, who tried to take the charge on the play.
Gordon was first called for an offensive foul, but after review, the call was overturned because Shamet was ruled outside of the restricted area.
Gordon missed the ensuing free throw, but his dunk gave Denver a 126-123 lead with 24 seconds left.
Christmas 2023: Doncic 50-piece dooms Suns
Then last season, Luka Doncic cooked the Suns for 50 points in leading Dallas to victory at Footprint Center. Shooting 8-of-16 from 3, Doncic became the seventh-fastest to reach 10,000 career points.
Grayson Allen scored a team-high 32 points to lead the Suns, going 8-of-17 from 3 while Kevin Durant and Booker combined for just 36 points on 10-of-25 shooting.
The Suns were without Bradley Beal (right ankle sprain) and Jusuf Nurkic (personal reasons) while the Mavericks won despite Kyrie Irving being sidelined due to a heel injury.
The Suns now have another chance to win on Christmas.
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
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Denver, CO
Esther Romero
Esther Romero
OBITUARY
Esther Romero (Lopez), 84, entered into eternal rest surrounded by her loving family. Born in Mt. Harris, Colorado, a small coal mining town near Steamboat Springs, her family moved to Denver in 1950. She graduated from North High School in 1957 and was the first in her family to attend college. She left for Colorado State College now UNC in 1958 where she soon met the love of her life and future husband Richard Romero. Esther graduated in 1961, married a week later, and together moved to Castle Rock where she began her career as an educator. Before long they returned to Denver where their three daughters were born. In 1972, Esther became one of Denver Public Schools first bilingual bicultural teachers and soon earned her Masters Degree from UNC. A passionate advocate, she understood the value of building a strong educational foundation in a child’s home language and honoring culture while also learning English. She taught at Elmwood, Del Pueblo, and Fairmont elementaries. A founding member of the Congress of Hispanic Educators (CHE), Esther served as president for many years helping to ensure children in DPS had access to a quality bilingual education. She continued this work through her final days. Esther taught for 30 years, was recognized as a master teacher of children, an exceptional mentor and coach to future educators, and served as a liaison between CU-Denver and DPS. She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma.
Esther enjoyed traveling with family and friends to Mexico, Europe, South America, the Caribbean, and almost all fifty states. She and Richard were avid Broncos fans holding season tickets since 1970, traveling to two Super Bowls. She loved organizing family gatherings, gambling trips, camping, reading, puzzles, and playing games with family. She had the unique ability to make everyone feel seen, heard, valued, and loved.
She was preceded in death by her parents Luis and Tommie G. Lopez, devoted husband Richard Romero, brother Baltazar Lopez ( Lourdes) and survived by her loving daughters Rosana (Dean) Trujillo, Carla (Arturo) Perez, Diana (John) Romero Campbell, and her grandchildren Arturito, Juliana, Claudia, Sofia, Orlando, Geronimo and Alicia, her sister Alice (Joe) Marquez, brothers Louie (Pat dec.) Lopez, Davey (Pat dec.) Lopez, Robert (Shari) Lopez, Ray (Melva) Lopez, and numerous extended family members. Please see www.cfcscolorado.org for service details.
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