Stainless Steel, Weathering Steel, Recorded Audio Interviews
In the late 1960s, Denver’s Urban Renewal Authority displaced over 300 households and 250 businesses, making way for the Auraria Campus. A single block on the Historic Ninth Street Park is the only remaining remnant of the now-gone neighborhood. This series of three sculptures speaks to the history of this site, the Displaced Aurarians, the Campus’ dedication to reparations through the Displaced Aurarian Scholarship Program, and the ongoing work of the Auraria Historical Advocacy Council (AHAC).
The sculptures, which take the form of bisecting silhouettes, pay homage to the community who once called this place home including the many families who lived here for generations. The first sculpture sited at the north end of the Ninth Street Historic Park represents a family. Heading south towards the new Peace & Healing Garden, the second sculpture focuses on the youth of the community. As you near the entrance to the Peace & Healing Garden you are greeted by the third sculpture that depicts Frances Torres, a Displaced Aurarian and passionate community advocate whose determination and dedication helped countless eligible community members access the free education that was promised to them through the Displaced Aurarian Scholarship Program. Each sculpture is accompanied by a QR code that directs visitors to recorded audio interviews with members of the Displaced Aurarian Community to further tell their stories and highlight their ongoing connections to the Auraria Campus.
Thank you to Shannon Geis, Oral Historian, who conducted, recorded and edited the audio interviews that bring the sculptures to life. And special thanks to the members of the Displaced Aurarian Community who lent their voices to this project, AHAC for welcoming us into this space and trusting us to tell this story, and the Auraria Higher Education Campus and Governor’s Office of Colorado for making this project possible. <CREDIT FOR AUDIO FROM HISTORY COLORADO>
To learn more about the history of the Auraria Community visit the links below.
Made in Partnership with Shannon Geis, Colorado AHEC, Auraria Historical Advocacy Council, Art Project Partners, and Moe Gram. Commissioned by the Colorado Govenor’s Office Colorado 150 / 250 initiative. <ADD AN ABOUT SECTION ABOUT THE OVERARCHING PROJECT AND LINK TO THE WEBPAGE TO OTHER COMMISSIONED ARTISTS’ WORK>