The $3.2 million renovation of Commerce City’s oldest park will be topped with a cherry next spring after the city installs its first piece – or several pieces – of commissioned public art in Fairfax Park.
Denver-based artist Josh Wiener was selected by members of the city, residents and the Commerce City Cultural Council to create “Determination,” a series of six metal sculptures that depict people playing basketball, baseball and futsal, a soccer-like sport played indoors.
That unique inclusion pairs nicely with the new futsal court that was built in the 23-acre park last fall.
“There are entirely custom pieces,” said Maura O’Neal, Commerce City cultural council member. “(Josh) did a walkthrough of the park … to see what kind of space he was creating these pieces for.”
O’Neal said Wiener’s piece was chosen out of seven other local artists’ designs through an elimination process that happened over months of concept planning.
“I think the reason we choose him is because he really did a great job explaining what he took his inspiration from in terms of the environment,” O’Neal said. “He did a great job considering who we are as a community and then building his creation around that.”
This isn’t the first piece of Wiener’s in Colorado. His work “Nature’s Legacy” boarders the entrance gate at the Carson Nature Center in Littleton, and “D.U.G.” is in the Denver Urban Gardens.
He also has pieces in Broomfield, Wheat Ridge, Durango and Longmont and is working on metal sculptures to line the new Perry Street and Oak Street light-rail stations along the West Line.
He said for “Determination,” he wanted to create the feeling of an “ethereal structure” that beams from nowhere.
“I was drawn to how much activity was going on there,” Wiener said. He said the space itself is a structure designed for play, and he wants his art to reflect that theme.
“Determination” will use $33,000 from the original renovation budget for its installation and commission.
Megan Mitchell: 303-954-2650, or mmitchell@denverpost.com
