Lois Larson
The Denver Airport Horse, officially named Mustang, is a 32-foot-tall fiberglass sculpture of a mustang with glowing red eyes located at the Denver International Airport. Colloquially known as Blucifer, the sculpture is notable for its striking appearance and for having killed its sculptor, Luis Jiménez, when a section of it fell on him in his studio. The statue has been the subject of controversy, conspiracy theories, and vandalism, but it also serves as a point of pride for the airport and has grown on residents.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Blue Mustang (colloquially known as Blucifer) |
| Height | 32 feet |
| Weight | 9,000 pounds |
| Material | Fiberglass |
| Color | Blue |
| Eye Color | Red |
| Eye Illumination | LED flood lights |
| Sculptor | Luis Jiménez |
| Sculptor's Inspiration | Legends from San Luis Valley about a mythical blue horse |
| Sculptor's Assistant | Camillo Nuñez and Richard LaVato |
| Year Commissioned | 1992 |
| Year Erected | 2008 |
| Location | Denver International Airport (DEN) |
| Funding | Paid for by developers |
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What You'll Learn
The Denver airport horse's official name is 'Mustang'
The Denver International Airport is home to a 32-foot-tall, blue mustang statue with glowing red eyes. Colloquially known as "Blucifer", the official name of the artwork is "Mustang". The sculpture is located on Peña Boulevard, the airport access road, and was unveiled in 2008.
The statue was designed by New Mexico artist Luis Jiménez and is considered a symbol of the West and an early method of long-distance travel. Jiménez's own Appaloosa stallion, Blackjack, a blue roan, may have inspired the colour choice. The horse's eyes, illuminated by LED flood lights, are a tribute to Jiménez's father, who ran a neon sign shop where Jiménez worked as a youth.
The sculpture has been the subject of controversy and intrigue, with some locals finding it eerie or demonic. It has been vandalised and was even the site of a suicide in 2020. The statue also killed its sculptor when a section of it fell on Jiménez in his studio, severing an artery in his leg. The sculpture was completed posthumously with the help of Jiménez's staff, family, and professional painters.
Despite the mixed reactions to the statue, it has become a point of pride for the airport. Stacey Stegman, DIA's senior vice president of communications, marketing, and customer service, referred to the statue as "a fierce blue mustang [...] a protector of travellers, guarding this airport".
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The sculpture is 32 feet tall and made of blue fiberglass
The Blue Mustang, or Blucifer as it is colloquially known, is a 32-foot-tall sculpture made of blue fiberglass. It is located at the Denver International Airport, where it greets visitors driving on Peña Boulevard. The sculpture is of a rearing mustang, a symbol of the West and an early method of long-distance travel. The horse's eyes glow red, illuminated by LED floodlights, and it weighs approximately 9,000 pounds, including its steel armature.
The sculpture was designed by Luis Jiménez and is based on his own Appaloosa stallion, Blackjack, a blue roan. Jiménez initially created a smaller, 8-foot-high Mustang statue, which was placed at the University of Oklahoma. The Denver Mustang statue was commissioned in 1992 for $300,000, but it was not erected until 2008, two years after Jiménez's death. The sculpture was completed posthumously by Jiménez's family, friends, and professional lowriders and racecar painters Richard LaVato and Camillo Nuñez.
The Blue Mustang has been the subject of controversy and intrigue, with some locals disparaging the statue and others praising it. It has been called ""bizarre" and "super out-of-place" by some, while others view it as a protector of travelers and a point of pride for the airport. The sculpture has also been vandalized, with graffiti sprayed on its lower legs and hooves. Despite the mixed reactions, the Blue Mustang remains a notable feature of the Denver International Airport, visible to all those who pass by.
Standing tall at 32 feet, the Blue Mustang is an imposing figure that has become an iconic part of the airport's landscape. The choice of blue fiberglass and the glowing red eyes give the sculpture a distinctive appearance, making it hard to ignore for those approaching the airport. While the statue may not be to everyone's taste, it has certainly added to the intrigue and character of the Denver International Airport.
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The horse's sculptor, Luis Jiménez, died while creating it
The Blue Mustang statue, or 'Blucifer' as it is colloquially known, is a 32-foot-high sculpture of a mustang located at Denver International Airport. It was commissioned in 1992 for $300,000 and unveiled in 2008. The sculpture was created by Luis Jiménez, a sculptor of Mexican descent who was known for his large polychromed fiberglass sculptures, often of Southwestern and Hispanic themes. Jiménez was also influenced by pop art and the modernism of Mexican muralists.
On June 13, 2006, Jiménez died in an accident at the age of 65 in his studio in Hondo, New Mexico. A large section of the Blue Mustang sculpture came loose and severed an artery in his leg, causing his death. The sculpture was being moved from his studio when the accident occurred. The piece had been commissioned by the Denver International Airport and was in development for nearly a decade.
Following Jiménez's death, the sculpture was completed with the help of the artist's staff, family, and professional lowrider/racecar painters Camillo Nuñez and Richard LaVato. The sculpture was then sent to California for assembly before being shipped to Denver International Airport. The Blue Mustang statue weighs approximately 9,000 pounds and is bolted onto a concrete base on a hill in the median of Peña Boulevard.
The Blue Mustang statue has been the subject of controversy and intrigue, with locals giving it the nickname 'Blucifer' due to its demonic appearance and glowing red eyes. The sculpture has also been noted for its prominent anatomical features, including veins, scrotum, and anus, contributing to its overall phallic quality. Despite the initial outspoken distaste for the sculpture, it has remained on display at the airport, with no petitions for its removal brought forward.
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The horse has been nicknamed 'Blucifer' by locals
The 32-foot-tall fiberglass sculpture of a blue mustang with glowing red eyes at the Denver International Airport has been the subject of much intrigue and controversy. Nicknamed "Blucifer" by the locals, the statue was created by New Mexico artist Luis Jiménez and is officially named "Mustang". The name "Blucifer" is a combination of "blue" from its official name "Blue Mustang" and "Lucifer", the archangel who fell from heaven and now rules the underworld. This nickname seems fitting for the unveiled demon horse that rears tall outside the airport.
The statue has been widely disparaged and praised, with some finding it eerie and haunting, while others consider it a fun and weird welcome to the state. The horse's luminous red eyes, set deeply into its head, are particularly striking and seem to gaze unwaveringly upon those passing by, like an all-seeing gatekeeper. The eyes are illuminated by LED floodlights and are said to be a tribute to the artist's father, who ran a neon sign shop where Jiménez worked as a youth.
The choice of the blue colour may have been inspired by Jiménez's own horse, Blackjack, a blue roan Appaloosa stallion. The mustang is a symbol of the West and an early method of long-distance travel, making it an appropriate choice for the airport setting. The original proposal for the sculpture was a buffalo stampede, but this was deemed inappropriate as buffalo had been hunted to near extinction in the West.
The sculpture also has a tragic history, as it killed its creator, Jiménez, when a section of it fell on him in his studio before it was installed at the airport. Jiménez's family, friends, and professional lowriders and racecar painters completed the sculpture after his death. Despite the controversy and tragic past, the statue has endured, and there would likely be public outcry if anything were to happen to it.
Blucifer has become a notable landmark at the Denver International Airport, loved and hated by many, and has even been featured in popular culture, such as the Netflix adult animated series "Inside Job".
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The horse is located on Peña Boulevard, outside the airport
The Blue Mustang, or Blucifer as it is colloquially known, is located outside the Denver International Airport on Peña Boulevard. The 32-foot-tall statue of a mustang, or horse, is made of cast fiberglass and weighs approximately 9,000 pounds. It was commissioned in 1992 for $300,000 and finally erected at the airport in 2008. The sculpture is bolted onto a concrete base on a hill in the median of Peña Boulevard.
The horse sculpture is notable for its striking appearance, with a bright blue body and glowing red eyes. The eyes are illuminated by LED floodlights and can be seen from far away, even in the dead of night. The horse's gaze cannot be missed as it seems to be an all-seeing gatekeeper for those heading towards or away from the city.
The name Blucifer is a combination of "blue" from its official name, Blue Mustang, and "Lucifer," the archangel who fell from heaven and now rules the underworld. This name was bestowed upon the sculpture by locals due to its demonic appearance and the fact that it killed its sculptor, Luis Jiménez, when a section of it fell on him in his studio before it was installed at the airport.
The sculpture has been the subject of controversy, with some praising it and others disparaging it. It has been vandalized multiple times and there have been petitions to have it removed. However, it seems that Blucifer is here to stay, and it has become a well-known landmark for those travelling to and from the Denver International Airport on Peña Boulevard.
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Frequently asked questions
The Denver Airport horse, officially named "Mustang", is located on Peña Boulevard, the airport access road.
The statue's official name is "Mustang", but locals refer to it as "Blucifer", a combination of "blue" from its colour and "Lucifer", the archangel who fell from heaven and now rules the underworld.
The sculpture is made of cast-fibreglass and stands at 32 feet tall.
The sculpture was unveiled on 11 February 2008, 16 years after it was commissioned and two years after its original completion date.
The name "Blucifer" was bestowed upon the sculpture by locals due to its demonic appearance, particularly its red eyes and blue body.
