Art has the power to change the way we see and interact with the world. By reimagining alleyways as artworks, Between Us: The Downtown Denver Alleyways Project aspires to soften public space and encourage city dwellers to observe the overlooked parts of our urban environment. The artists include Carlos Frésquez, Kelly Monico, Stuart Semple, Joel Swanson, and Frankie Toan. Three artworks (by artists Carlos Frésquez, Joel Swanson, and Frankie Toan) are on view through Summer 2021. 

Between Us: The Downtown Denver Alleyways Project—funded and produced by the Downtown Denver Partnership and the Downtown Denver Business Improvement District—is aimed at bringing additional public art to Downtown Denver. The goal is to surprise, delight, and inspire those who experience the alleyways. 

Carlos Frésquez, Alley Freshener  (currently on view)
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.

Joel Swanson, Y/OURS (currently on view)
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 (currently on view)
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.