Downtown Colorado Springs is home to a dozen new art pieces. The work is part of the 2022 Art on the Streets Exhibit, which was unveiled Friday. The six murals and six sculptures were chosen from more than 100 proposals and feature artists from Canada, New York as well as several from Colorado.
Brenda Biondo of Manitou Springs is one of the featured artists. Her mural Bighorn Sheep/Mountain Sun "celebrates the wildlife and landscapes of the Pikes Peak region," according to the Downtown Partnership. The piece is located on the west exterior wall of the Downtown Transit Terminal at 127 E. Kiowa Street.
Su Kaiden Cho, another artist from Colorado Springs, used aluminum ducts to mimic a pet tunnel in her sculpture titled Betwixt. The piece is described as "humorous and somewhat playful, with a sinister sense in that you can enter the tunnel but not escape." The $42,000 piece can be seen on the north exterior wall of UCCS Downtown at 102 S. Tejon Street.
Another mural featured in the annual exhibit is the work of Juls Mendoza of Denver. His work focuses on cultural identity, community and social justice celebrating his heritage.
“I am who I am in most part because of my Mexican and Latino heritage,” Mendoza told the Downtown Partnership. “Therefore, incorporating my heritage into my art is meaningful to me, and I feel it’s meaningful to those who can relate to that sentiment as well.”
The vibrant mural, uses latex and acrylic spray paint, and can be found on the west exterior wall of 327 E. Pikes Peak Avenue.
The city offers guided walking tours where folks can learn about all of the artwork chosen for this year's exhibit. There's also a free app for a self-guided tour. The Downtown Partnership and its charity arm, Downtown Ventures, established the public exhibit in 1998.
