![]() "We were both kind of blown away," he adds, "because we're working our networks and we're inviting our friends and our communities, and then some of the people who came out some interesting power players in art as well as some very interesting old-school community art players and community members."īiome will celebrate its grand opening on Friday, September 16. They mounted Biome 001 in March and Biome 002 in July, and while Baca says their goal has never been "money or bodies in the building," the initial events were definitely a success. Diminich spoke with various artists before creating the entry application: "I was asking what their best exhibiting experiences were to the worst." Biome's mission is "to celebrate fine art through inclusivity and community," similar to how its namesake promotes growth in a contained ecosystem through elements that support each other - and as they planned the first event, the pair turned to the community for advice. They worked throughout 2021 to make their vision a reality. ![]() "And we're both fortunate to have very tight partners to keep us grounded." "One of the things about Ricardo and I is we're both dreamers," he says. What do you think?'"ĭiminich remembers the moment well: They were on a COVID camping trip with their wives in 2020, and he recalls that they could not stop rattling off ideas and ideal artists. You somehow have the perfect skill set to come with in mind. I can't do it by myself I could never succeed. And one day I was like, 'Hey, man, I have this thing I've always wanted to do. ![]() "He has significantly more background in art. "It's been one of the most important friendships of my adult life," Baca says of Diminich. Diminich, who had moved to Denver from New York City in 2016 and was working as the director of education and community engagement at Think 360 Arts for Learning, already knew of Baca from Rolling Papers. He found that partner in 2019 in Diminich through his Grasslands chief of staff. But to create a fine arts biennial, he needed a like-minded partner to help him on the artistic side. A custom-made mezcal cart with cowhide details is a functional work of art in its own right, as is Baca's grandmother's pink refrigerator, which was refurbished into a wine cooler and temperature-controlled cannabis stash.īorn and raised in Denver, Baca hit the silver screen as the subject of the 2015 documentary Rolling Papers, which follows his career as a cannabis editor at the Denver Post after he moved over from music editor. He says his "obsession" with biennials began in the ’90s, when he had just graduated from college and stumbled upon the Venice Biennale while traveling in Europe.Ĭourtesy of Biome Baca knows how to build an event: He helped found the Underground Music Showcase, after all. That collection has Grasslands brimming with art: A serape-patterned mural by artist Carlos Frésquez decorates a bar area, and there's a poster by Shepard Fairey along with photography and mixed media by Denver-based artist Josh Palmeri. "Up until we got there, this has been a place to expand our personal art collection." "This has always been the goal: fine art," Baca says. Marketing companies aren't necessarily known for mounting art events, but Baca has been wanting to bring this passion project to life since before he founded Grasslands in 2016. ![]() The building is currently seeing its legacy raised from covert brothels to Biome, Denver's new fine arts biennial that Baca founded with friend Jason Diminich. "It used to be a bar that had a secret brothel," explains Ricardo Baca, CEO of Grasslands, the cannabis- and psychedelics-focused marketing and PR company that's now housed there. The unassuming cinder block building at 100 Santa Fe Drive occupies a colorful niche in Denver history.
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