Denver has some really crazy abstract statues, and these are the ones that make the cut.
Some of Denver's finest, strangest art.
Gigantic 30 to 85-foot marvels of abstract art are something not often acknowledged by Denver’s residents. All around Downtown Denver, and throughout its outskirts, gigantic abstract statues can be seen. Many people observe them every day, traveling into the city, and some statues can even be seen from the highway. These quirky oddities are a very interesting additions to our city. Some of the most interesting and most endearing of these statues are entitled: Articulated Wall, Blue Mustang, The Dancers and Big Blue Bear.
Out of all these statues, the most noticeable and often seen is Articulated Wall. This 85-foot yellow statue can be seen from a large stretch of I-25. Many people see it every day on their morning commute. The statue looks like a giant yellow DNA strand or a stack of French fries, and was erected in front of the Denver Design Center on South Broadway. According to the Denver Design Center website, the sculptor, Herbert Bayer, was hired to recreate the original 60-foot statue from Mexico City. The statue is a perfect example of “weird” Denver art. Most people didn’t even know what this statue was supposed to be. Today, it is an iconic Denver statue.
The Denver Performing Arts Complex is the second largest performing arts center in the world. It is also home to two large, white, man-like figures called The Dancers. The Dancers statue was installed on June 12, 2003. The artist, Jonathan Borofsky, was commissioned to build it by Mayor Wellington Webb. It was intended to welcome people to the performing arts complex, and Denver.
The Colorado Convention Center is yet another location of one of those iconic Denver statues, the Big Blue Bear. Many of our statues are quirky and strange, and the Big Blue Bear is no exception. It is a unique statue with a title that says it all. It is near the front of the Colorado Convention Center, looming over and staring into the main window of the building. Erected in June 2005, and costing $425,000, this landmark – according to the Colorado Convention Center’s website – was erected because a photo the owner of the convention center saw in a newspaper inspired him to have the statue built.
Denver International Airport is not a place one would think to find a 32-foot tall, giant, blue horse with glowing red eyes. The Blue Mustang is one of Denver’s most provocative pieces of art. According to http://warofillusions.wordpress.com a woman named Rachel Hultin started a Facebook page protesting the art in 2009, and they still haven’t taken it down. When building the statue the sculptor, Luis Jimenez, was crushed when the statue fell on him in his studio. If that wasn’t a sign not to put it up, I don’t know what is.
Denver is a city known for unique art, and every piece of art mentioned has become a Denver landmark. Whether it’s the Articulated Wall seen driving into Downtown Denver, The Dancers welcoming people to the Denver Performing Arts Complex, or the Big Blue Bear staring into the Colorado Convention Center, all of these pieces are noteworthy, and frequently seen by residents. Even tourists coming in at Denver International Airport get exposed to Denver’s artistic flare with the Blue Mustang. Our city’s artwork is a display of the artistic nature of Denver, and shows people from other places how we express ourselves.
