Between Us: The Downtown Denver Alleyways Project aspires to soften our perceptions of public utility spaces and encourage city dwellers to observe the overlooked parts of our urban environment. Four Colorado-based artists reimagined various alleyways in downtown Denver as approachable public spaces by producing site-specific art installations that conceptually addressed each location.

Carlos Frésquez, Alley Freshener
Through a humorous lens, Frésquez’s large-scale, suspended sculpture questions society’s contradictory viewpoint of cleanliness in personal versus public space. By placing enlarged air fresheners in an urban environment, this artwork suggests the importance of cultivating neglected civic space.

Kelly Monico, Alley Cats 

Alley Cats is a playful commentary on humans’ fascination with felines throughout history, from Ancient Egypt to the Internet Age. Composed of three hundred cat figurines, Monico’s artwork exemplifies the human-animal bond and its connection to well-being.

Joel Swanson, Y/OURS
In Swanson’s neon installation, “Y” in “YOURS” blinks on and off alternating between the embedded words “YOURS” and “OURS.” This artwork questions how public space is defined through notions of personal property and ownership.

Frankie Toan, Public Body
Toan’s artwork speaks to the significance of human interaction with public space. Through a series of vibrant, body-like forms, this installation encourages viewers to reenvision the alley’s traditional function into a place for public gathering.

Special thanks: Downtown Denver Partnership, Downtown Denver Business Improvement District, Bonfils-Stanton Foundation, and the Denver Theatre District.