What the fuck, Denver? Your art is ridiculous!
First the cow parade, which was ridiculous and gaudy enough...
And then the giant blue inside-out DEATH HORSE with glowing red eyes that killed its creator and hangs out around DIA to say, "Welcome, travelers!"
Okay, that one is pretty fucking awesome but no less ridiculous.
And now we are presented with the sculpture "National Velvet."
Since it was dark out we brought a tripod and a flashlight for illumination in order to take long-exposure shots. Imagine our surprise when we discovered we wouldn't need it.
Well, that explained the ELECTRIC part.
The thing is massive, easily 20 feet tall, is covered in dark dripping streaks, and glistens with a revolting sheen.
Yup, those are apartments in the background. Makes you wonder how art of this type penetrating the neighborhood will affect property values.
And to make the trip all worthwhile...
First the cow parade, which was ridiculous and gaudy enough...
And then the giant blue inside-out DEATH HORSE with glowing red eyes that killed its creator and hangs out around DIA to say, "Welcome, travelers!"
Okay, that one is pretty fucking awesome but no less ridiculous.
And now we are presented with the sculpture "National Velvet."
Before seeing the article in WestWord, I'd heard some of my friends talking about this giant wangart that was recently unveiled in Denver. Someone mentioned that the thing had been inserted along the 16th street pedestrian bridge in view of I-25, so we decided to pop off to see it and take some pictures.WestWord wrote:
It’s a daunting task: What to call the new public sculpture at the base of the 16th Street Pedestrian Bridge. No ordinary name will do for such a creation, with its stack of bulbous crimson sacks rising, slipping and sliding, twenty feet into the sky and culminating in a suggestive glistening tip. It’s an erection of dramatic proportions, one all the more penetrating thanks to its internal nighttime glow.
Its official name, “National Velvet,” clearly won’t do. Even the work’s sculptor, John McEnroe, seemed unconvinced about the title at the artwork’s dedication yesterday afternoon, amid Denver ArtsWeek. “'Velvet' implies something suggestive,” he said with a sly grin before the ceremony. “And the word ‘National’ speaks for itself.” Whatever you say, John.
Alternative titles were already making their way through the crowd. “Wet Salami,” one suggestion, didn’t do justice to the $50,000 sculpture commissioned by the Denver Office of Cultural Affairs, and "Penis Bags," another possibility, lacked the right lyrical flourish. Some attendees, meanwhile, were inspired by the creation’s marketing potential, pondering corporate sponsorship from Trojan and suggesting someone manufacture hand-held replicas, like the popular Big Blue Bear (whose name is really "I See What You Mean") reproductions – though these models would come with a handy vibrating feature.
Mayor John Hickenlooper, who stopped by for a few words, seemed in on the joke, wasting no time in leaping up and caressing the bulging monument. "This is a piece of art that begs to be touched," he admitted to the crowd before adding, "I suspect the mayor’s office may get a few calls." A city staffer, smirking in the audience, noted the mayor’s office hadn’t actually seen the sculpture until that day.
As dusk fell and the ceremony drew to a close, the name game continued. Another observer, inspired by the magma-red hue of the now-lit structure, recommended "Tower of Power."
Only later, over drinks at the nearby Paris Wine Bar, did folks who prefer to remain anonymous come up with the perfect moniker.
Welcome to Denver, Saggy-Boob Electric Penis. We’re sure you’ll make quite an impression. – Joel Warner
Since it was dark out we brought a tripod and a flashlight for illumination in order to take long-exposure shots. Imagine our surprise when we discovered we wouldn't need it.
Well, that explained the ELECTRIC part.
The thing is massive, easily 20 feet tall, is covered in dark dripping streaks, and glistens with a revolting sheen.
Yup, those are apartments in the background. Makes you wonder how art of this type penetrating the neighborhood will affect property values.
And to make the trip all worthwhile...
