If you have an occasion to fly into or out of Denver International Airport, you may be stunned to see a 32-foot-tall blue mustang. Created by artist Luis Jiménez, whose works are displayed at various museums including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the “Blue Mustang is molded from polychromed fiberglass and painted a vibrant blue, with red glowing neon eyes. Meant to represent the wild spirit of the Old West, the sculpture was commissioned in 1993, two years prior to the opening of the airport. In 2006, a 9,000-pound portion of the sculpture broke loose and severed one of Jiménez’s arteries, resulting in his death. His sons completed the remaining work, and in 2008 the mustang was installed at the entrance to the airport. The sculpture has been a source of public controversy due to its menacing appearance and the circumstances surrounding its creation. Many found the statue’s glowing red eyes and aggressive pose frightening. The sculpture has not only withstood public scrutiny, but it’s also had to hold up against rain, hail, intense wind, and it still stands today.
