Can you guess from the clues what I am talking about?
It is 32’ high, weighs 9000 pounds, is cobalt blue painted fiberglass over a steel frame, has red LED eyes, and is anatomically correct in every way.
It was commissioned in 1992 for delivery 4 years later for $300,000. It was installed 15 years later for a total cost of $650,000. A part of it fell on its creator and killed him. His children completed it.
It received nationwide media coverage and caused a furor in my home town, including a Facebook page dedicated to its removal, and a haiku contest that included entries such as these.
Anxiously I fly
apocalyptic hell beast
fails to soothe my nerves.
Big blue horse beckons
Fiery, red eyes glowering
Good bye one horse town.
Some of the negative adjectives used to describe it are: scandalous, mean, scary terrifying, frightening, horrifying, ugly, demonic, satanic, unholy, angry, apocalyptic, possessed, hideous and heinous. Positive descriptors are: powerful, engaging, a symbol of freedom and independence.
It is referred to as Satan’s Stallion or Bluecifer. Here it is in all its glory, "Mustang" at Denver International Airport. A stunning night shot. For toppers, here’s an up-close and personal rear view.
The New York Times article, subtitled "Many in Denver Just Say Neigh," makes this poignant observation:
The original design called for a pull-off from the airport road, with benches and ample room to contemplate the statue from all angles. After the terrorist attacks of 9/11, however, the parking area idea was shelved for security reasons.
That makes “Blue Mustang” literally unapproachable: most viewers zoom by, perhaps retaining only a vague impression. The barriers to approach, artists and art critics say, have compounded the piece’s troubles, making it seem even more forbidding by virtue of isolation.
Denver has other interesting public art:
Hill of kidney beans, "National Velvet."
Giant blue bear at the Convention Center, "I See What You Mean."
The Botero statues at the Performing Arts Centre, "Man" and "Woman."
OK, partiers, the floor is yours.
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