Blue Mustang is DIA's most famous artwork, but there are other pieces to love... or hate

"Mustang," Luis Jimenez's killer horse at Denver International Airport, just placed third in a recent survey of the country's most bizarre public art. But it definitely ranks first in the hearts and minds of Denver residents, who either really love or really, really hate the sculpture...

By Patricia Calhoun

October 28, 2011

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"Mustang," Luis Jimenez's killer horse at Denver International Airport, just placed third in a recent survey of the country's most bizarre public art. But it definitely ranks first in the hearts and minds of Denver residents, who either really love or really, really hate the sculpture. This past spring, in an attempt to get some harder data about how people feel about the airport's massive public art program -- and how to expand that program as the airport expands -- DIA posted an online survey asking participants to identify their favorite artwork and describe how those "works of art influence your impression of DIA."

And now the results are in. DIA and Arts & Venues Denver will host the "DIA Art Master Plan Town Hall" from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, November 1 at Crossroads Theater, 2590 Washington Street. And you're invited. Here's an airport release:

Denver International Airport's Art and Culture Program has been working to design a master plan that will establish creative direction for the facility's existing cultural assets, and to help guide the commissioning of new artworks. DIA and Arts & Venues Denver invite you to hear the recommendations of the planning team. Please join us in determining the future of one of Denver's most vital cultural assets.

Everyone's welcome -- including those conspiracy theorists who think that many of the DIA artworks -- including the new floor piece by Juane Quick-to-See Smith and Ken Iwamasa that replaced the leaky "Mountain Mirage" (shown above) -- carry secret messages from the New World Order, or Martians, or whoever's living in those secret tunnels beneath the airport.

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Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

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