The Lucille Ruibal Rivera Gallery is located within the Northglenn Recreation Center, Senior Center and Parsons Theatre at 1 East Memorial Parkway, Northglenn, CO 80233. Please use the south entrance (Parsons Theatre entrance); the gallery is near the community rooms. For more information, contact the Parsons Theatre Box Office at 303-450-8888.
Northglenn Arts is pleased to present Zoid Hæm’s BLKRAINBOW solo exhibition public gallery exhibition in collaboration with Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art (BMoCA). The exhibit will run through late June.
ABOUT THE EXHIBIT: BLKRAINBOW is a solo exhibition using photography, collage and installation to explore how Black life evolves in the wake of ecological and societal collapse. Inspired by the black rainbow, a rare phenomenon formed through catastrophic conditions of smoke and ash, the work proposes a visual field where destruction bends into color and possibility. Drawing on James Baldwin’s idea that people are trapped in history and history is trapped in them, the exhibition places the viewer within the cyclical nature of time and asks how memory might interrupt our destructive patterns and imagine new futures.
ABOUT THE ARTIST: ZOID HÆM
Zoid Hæm is a Black American artist and storyteller. After receiving a BFA in Film Studies at the University of Colorado Boulder, Zoid became the first student to earn a dual Master’s degree: an MFA in integrated media arts practices and an MBA in Entrepreneurship and Real Estate from CU Boulder. He is a published poet, college professor, art critic, curator, filmmaker, ex-NFL player, and performance artist.
Zoid’s art applies the principles of auto-ethnography to connect his personal experiences to the wider cultural narrative of Black Americans—a narrative sustained through folklore, spirituality, and rebellious expression. Through physical and digital mediums Zoid creates new myths that weave the future with the past and dreams with reality in the hopes of creating a new dimension of transcendence. His art seeks to suture the wounds of oppression by establishing a new connection to symbols that can educate us on our distorted history, critique our modern culture, and raise us to our greatest hopes.
Zoid is also the founder of Zoid Art Haus (ZAH), a creative design studio that offers art direction and project management to businesses and artists to achieve its mission of creating community through art. Through ZAH, Zoid creates installations, curates group exhibitions, documents visual and literary archives, and develops spaces where storytelling, performance, and design converge to explore art as a means of education, political resistance, and economic development.
Our collaboration with Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art
BLKRAINBOW exhibition and associated programs are part of a collaboration between Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art (BMoCA) and Northglenn Arts in Adams County. Through this initiative, BMoCA presents free, museum-quality exhibitions by regional artists at community partners and complementary programs at the libraries and neighboring schools. The collaboration works to expand accessible educational and cultural opportunities for Adams County residents of all ages and backgrounds.
BMoCA would like to thank their generous sponsors: The BMoCA and Adams County collaboration is funded in part by the Scientific & Cultural Facilities District, the Kemper Family Foundations, UMB Bank, n.a., Trustee, the Sachs Family Foundation, and Robin and Kevin Luff.
On October 1, 2024, The City of Northglenn and the Northglenn Arts & Humanities Foundation (NAHF) were honored to announce the renaming of the Parsons Theatre Art Gallery in honor of the late Lucille Ruibal Rivera. Lucille was pivotal in enriching the Northglenn arts community as a member of the NAHF board, Diversity, Inclusion and Social Equity (DISE) committee, and a key figure in facilitating collaboration between Northglenn Arts and the Chicano Humanities & Art Council (CHAC). Lucille’s dedicated direction helped showcase a dynamic array of artworks in the former Parsons Theatre Art Gallery, representing the LGBTQ community, Dia de los Muertos celebrations, street art, and the creations of the late Stevon Lucero. Lucille’s influence extended far beyond the gallery walls as she played a crucial role in promoting inclusivity and celebrating the rich tapestry of Chicano arts and heritage.
In celebration of the dedication, the first exhibit was “Kiss of Life – Honoring Lucille Ruibal Rivera”, a celebration of Lucille’s artistic perspective and achievements.
ABOUT THE EXHIBIT
“Kiss of Life” HONORING LUCILLE RUIBAL RIVERA
The exhibit’s theme reflects Lucille’s unique ability to capture love and intimacy, whether in the tender moments shared with her family or in the larger narrative of identity and belonging that runs through her work. Her art, suffused with warmth and affection, tells stories that transcend her tragic loss, offering a profound connection to her legacy. Through this collection, visitors are invited to witness Lucille’s world—a world where every frame breathes life, and every image is a testament to the enduring power of love and culture.
Curated by True Apodaca-Cobell
Funding was provided by Northglenn Arts & Humanities Foundation (NAHF), Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD), and Colorado Creative Industries (CCI).