Look Out Below! Here's Our Preview of ’Duct-Work 2 Under I-70

On August 18, artists began filling in the sections of the north Denver viaduct, pillars and all, that had somehow stayed blank through previous art efforts, both authorized and unofficial. The cavernous thruway that runs underneath I-70, unseen by the tens of thousands of daily travelers above, was the focus of an official street-art installation during the 2016 'duct-work project, organized by Denver Arts and Skills Center and featuring 23 artists. Now ’duct-work 2 is under way.


But the art won't be there long. Come 2018, the viaduct and all of its murals will be demolished as part of the contentious Central 70 Project. The Colorado Department of Transportation was a primary supporter of adding art to the area in the meantime. "This project was CDOT's idea to begin with. As we worked to move the Central 70 Project forward, we realized the viaduct is an incredible canvas for urban art," CDOT's Rebecca White says. "The ’duct-work artists have transformed a large, dark and hulking structure into a place for community; the concept of making transportation infrastructure 'a place' is something we will continue to explore as we rebuild I-70."

See it while you can. Close to thirty local artists are working on 'duct-work 2, including Detour, Birdseed Collective, Gamma, Molly Bounds and So-Gnar Creative.

As they continue their work, the community is invited to view the new installations at an open house from 2 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, August 26, on 46th Avenue between Brighton Boulevard and York Street.