mustang
(Click pic to embiggen.)

WSJ– The mustang rears on splayed hind legs — his nostrils flaring, his eyes glowing red, his taut body a slick, sweaty sheen of blue. Anatomically correct — eye-poppingly so — the 32-foot-tall fiberglass sculpture makes quite a statement at the gateway to Denver International Airport.

But that begs the question: What kind of statement, exactly?

“It looks like it’s possessed,” says Denver resident Samantha Horoschak. “I have a huge fear of flying anyway, and to be greeted at the airport by a demon horse — it’s not a soothing experience.”

Many people here agree, calling the muscular steed a terrifying welcome to the Mile High City.The Denver airport commissioned the sculpture in 1992 from Luis Jimenez, a widely honored artist known for melding Chicano themes and Western history in exuberant sculpture.

Mr. Jimenez was killed working on the sculpture. In 2006, while he was hoisting pieces of the mustang for final assembly in his New Mexico studio, the horse’s massive torso swung out of control and crushed the 65-year-old artist. Mr. Jimenez’s widow and children helped finish the sculpture, and it was installed last February at the airport, at a cost to the city of $650,000.

Listen to the weekend edition of No Agenda for more about the weirdness that is Denver International. See more of DIA’s weird art here.

Thanks to Ian Warner.




  1. Miguel says:

    Meant to be ridden by one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Due soon.

  2. MeAndOnlyMe says:

    I’ve seen it in person, and think it’s absolutely spectacular! I also am always enthralled by the airport itself, and the artwork within it. It’s one of the few airports I don’t mind having to waste time in, to be honest. There is always something incredible to see. DIA embraces and celebrates the art community and Denver itself’s varied origins.

  3. Dallas says:

    As long as it’s not a golden cow, we should be good to go.

  4. ian says:

    If you think that it’s just the statue that’s weird, have a look at the murals:

    http://bibliotecapleyades.net/sociopolitica/denver/esp_denverairport_photogall.htm

    You have to see these in real life to believe them. I was just there.

    Strange things are afoot in Denver, and it’s not good.

    [Please drop the WWW from URLs as WordPress doesn’t display it properly… plus it’s unnecessary. – ed.]

  5. ian says:

    Weird, it messed up my link. Here it is again:

    http://tinyurl.com/3fsfql

  6. bill says:

    I hate the airport… One long building.. try connecting from one gate at the end to another at the other end… I’m sure the folks at united in SFO were laughing their asses off.

  7. RBG says:

    I remember one of the important Vancouver business buildings having a sculpture of a corpse rotting on the sea floor, attached to a wall and greeting the elevator users. In fact, I believe it was a statement about regeneration, but who knew?

    RBG

  8. Rich says:

    “his nostrils flaring, his eyes glowing red, his taut body a slick, sweaty sheen of blue. Anatomically correct — eye-poppingly so”

    John C when he gets out of the shower? 😉

  9. scumola says:

    My son calls the horse “the evil horse”. We drive by it monthly.

  10. jccalhoun says:

    Please tell me Curry buys into the conspiracy theories about the Denver Airport. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denver_International_Airport#Conspiracy_theories

  11. Sinn Fein says:

    The Broncos…Denver’s NFL Team…Fierce Horse Statue at the airport…where the other NFL teams land and see every time they come to town? Geez folks, that one was waaaaay too obvious.

  12. sargasso says:

    Think that’s bad! See the entrance to The Institute for Microbiology, in Tübingen

    http://tinyurl.com/c4vp22

  13. joaoPT says:

    At #11
    Curry sure buys it. In fact, just google “denver airport murals” and up come a rosary of weird sites. I mean, weird. It’s basically the enumeration of all the conspiracy theories and all the fads (alien, reptillian, nwo, the works) of the aforementioned Crackpot.
    And I say this in a kind and affectionate way 🙂

  14. Iridium says:

    #4, photo nº 2 shows the sign of the Freemasons, a secret society. Fact.

  15. Paddy-O says:

    # 15 Iridium said, “Freemasons, a secret society. Fact.”

    Actually, false.

    https://freemasonry.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=83&Itemid=55

  16. Iridium says:

    #16, that’s just marketing and PR.

  17. Paddy-O says:

    # 17 Iridium said, “#16, that’s just marketing and PR.”

    So, where are your FACTS?

  18. John says:

    #18. My facts can beat up your facts, anyone can point to propaganda, it means nothing. Here, even I can do it.

    “This exercise is not an empty one, for your eternal, precious soul is at stake. Finally, remember two things about Masonry: 1) Superior Masons deliberately lie to their fellow Masons, as those Masons “deserve to be mislead”; 2) Explanations given to 95% of all Masons are wrong. Listen to this quote from a Masonic author, Carl Claudy: “Cut through the outer shell and find a meaning; cut through that meaning and find another; under it, if you dig deep enough, you may find a third, a fourth — who shall say how many teachings?” You have been lied to, as we demonstrate in our many articles. Finally, remember Albert Pike’s bold assertion in Morals & Dogma, that “Masonry is identical to the ancient Mysteries “, which means that all their teachings in all their books are precisely the same as the Ancient, Pagan, Satanic Mysteries!”

    Research, it’s good for the soul.

  19. Paddy-O says:

    #19 You’re babbling. I asked for proof that it is a secret society as asserted by Iridium.

    What you posted has nothing to do with that…

  20. John says:

    So where are your FACTS?

  21. Paddy-O says:

    # 21 John said, “So where are your FACTS?”

    About what?

  22. Les says:

    “Old Meth” makes it to Dvorak. Its downlight creepy at night when the eyes are lit up red.

  23. Pete says:

    #12- True.

    Anyone who remembers the old Denver Broncos’ helmet emblems from the 70’s and 80’s can recognize the statue as a 3-D representation of that emblem.

  24. deowll says:

    I think this proves there are some very disturbed people.

  25. Olo Baggins of Bywater says:

    Looks like something you’d see in front of a Cabela’s store. Put it in front of an airport, and suddenly the freaky flying people see evil.

  26. AdmFubar says:

    hell we have devern beat by a mile (high?)…
    that has nothing over this…

    http://tinyurl.com/4xnxz8

    i forgot how huch was paid for the ‘free’ stamp…

  27. amodedoma says:

    Wish I had one 1/10 scale for my backyard.

  28. jccalhoun says:

    crap. when is dvorak.org/blog going to fix their links?
    http://panoramio.com/photo/11765919
    http://neatorama.com/2008/03/20/big-butter-jesus/

    [It’s a WordPress issue, just leave off the www in the links or better use Tinyurl- ed]


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