Specs: The making of the Mustang
Time: Commissioned in 1992, artist Luis Jimenez worked on the largest sculpture of his career over a 14 year period. The sculpture was unfortunately installed posthumously in February 2008.
Budget: Artist's commission: $300,000
Details: It was my great fortune to work with the enormously talented Luis Jimenez on the Mustang. Mr. Jimenez' hard work on this 32 foot tall sculpture was a great accomplishment. Created in a traditional method, his hand is seen in the texturing of the surface. The clay was built layer by layer on top of hardware cloth, and then fiberglassed to create the negative mold from which the sculpture would be cast again in fiberglass.
Special thanks to William Kreysler and his staff at Kreysler and Associates for final structural reinforcements of the fiberglass and steel armature. Project team: Colleen Fanning, Art Program Manager, Denver International Airport, project manager from 2003 through the end of August 2007; Mimi Moore, Project Manager 1996-2002; Reggie Norman, Senior Architect; Frank Palumbo, Senior Engineer, DIA; Hana Rocek, Manager of Maintenance and Engineering, DIA; Gordon Melin, DMJM Aviation was technical and engineering lead; Kent Stutsman, project manager 2007 through installation, Denver International Airport
Art
Mustang, Luis Jimenez
In 1992, Luis Jimenez was awarded a commission to create a site specific one-of-a-kind sculpture for the exterior landscape at Denver International Airport. Over ensuing years the artist worked to create one of the largest and important sculptures of his career. In February 2008, the sculpture was installed posthumously. The final painting of the Mustang was finished by the artists' sons in his studio in Hondo, NM.
Space: Eastern plains of Colorado
Mustang, Luis Jimenez
The exterior landscape of Denver International Airport was chosen by the artist and aviation planners. In the early 1990's the DIA Master Plan incorporated a bike path from downtown Denver to the airport. This path was to access both the Mustang and the Fenceline Artifacts (Sherry Wiggins and Buster Simpson), from Peña Blvd to the sculpture, but after the events of September 11, 2001, the plans were revised to comply with public safety efforts. The implied memory of the once free-roaming mustang on the Colorado eastern plains offers a romantic history of the landscape from days gone by. Oriented toward downtown Denver and Pikes Peak, this work of art is now best experienced on the drive to and from Peña Blvd.
The 32 ft tall fiberglass rearing Mustang has the scale to visually hold the viewers attention amidst the signage and more than 85,000 vehicles that use Peña blvd daily.