Joe Riché: Demiurge Design

You Might Recognize:

Trade Deficit - Ballpark area Denver, Typha - West Colfax, Freedom Park Beacon - North Carolina, Aquarius - Branson Missouri

Public Art Average Success Rate:

1%

Rejected Project Proposal

Proposed Project Location:

Pueblo, Colorado

Concept:

These gateway monuments are a representation and homage to the vast and dramatic landscapes that characterize the Southwest region and the pioneering people, plants and animals that have called it home for millennia. 

The two 45’ sculptures are imagined as landforms which have eroded over millions of years to expose traces of the lives that have shaped the region. Patterns are revealed that show layers of natural and cultural history.

At each of their peaks a precious stone is revealed. These glowing crystalline forms represent the City of Pueblo and its importance and enduring spirit within this vast and ever changing landscape. Through this representation the city is imagined as a beacon within the region. The back-lit dichroic acrylic stones glow day and night and from a distance create a powerful visual connection between the two monuments as if creating an imaginary connection between the two. This visual connection creates the sense that one is moving underneath and through a doorway as they drive along I-25.

Within some of the rocklike forms two and three dimensional patterns reveal traces of Paleo Indian peoples, Native Americans, and the pioneering people who followed them including those who call Pueblo home today. Erosion washes away rock to reveal on other forms the presence of sagebrush, succulents, cacti, rattlesnakes, butterflies, and eagles….each a testament to the flora and fauna that make the Southwest unique. Finally a fractal pattern of erosion is revealed within the rock which speaks to the power of water and other  natural forces which shape our landscape.

"I Regret to Inform You..." Artist Response:

Feels like we dodged a bullet due to the large scale of the project, the site conditions on working on a bridge, and the relatively small budget to cover all project considerations. Even the most experienced of us get distracted by the glitter of a new and big project to the point of over proposing.

I'm indifferent to the rejection. It's just part of the shit show of public art. Someone did win the commission and I'm proud for them. There's enough projects around for us all to get some. It's just imperative to play the odds with a continual shotgun blast of applications if you want to get anywhere in this field.

It's nearly impossible to beat out the local artist in a small community - and good for them, as it's not often one has any real advantage in this process,  and we gotta use what we can to make it.