A large-scale mural by artist Leo Tanguma and other prominent pieces of public art are returning to Denver International Airport’s Great Hall, following the completion of construction that forced them into storage.
The floor-to-ceiling mural by Denver artist Tanguma with help from his daughter Leticia Tanguma, was reinstalled last week on Level 5, Northwest, according to the airport. It completes a series of Tanguma murals that have prompted conspiracy theories in the three decades since the airport opened.
The mural will be followed by at least four more large pieces returning in the coming weeks, including a statue of Elrey Jeppesen — the namesake of the Great Hall terminal — and a sprawling map of the United States dotted with roadside attractions and black-and-white photos.
Tanguma’s colorful “In Peace and Harmony with Nature” is arguably the most prominent. It shows diverse children and animals gathering while a massive fire burns in the background, its flames and smoke consuming part of the top of the mural. “In Peace and Harmony with Nature” completes the imagery in Tanguma’s lightning-rod mural “Children of the World Dream of Peace,” which is installed a few feet away on the same walls. It’s long been the subject of elaborate conspiracy theories that allege it contains not-so-hidden images of fascism and a violent new world order.
Tanguma’s murals at the airport, however, are meant to convey ideals of hope, justice and environmental stewardship, he has said, and to tell that story he also must depict the toll that the war and destruction take on young lives and the environment. There are no hidden or sinister meanings, he has said.
The long-installed “Children of the World Dream of Peace,” which was created for the airport’s opening in 1995, features a panel depicting a masked military member holding a scimitar and an automatic rifle, situated atop a ruined building. In the much larger panel of that mural (it’s meant to be viewed from right to left), the character is lying on the ground, defeated, while a rainbow covers a group of children, some holding swords wrapped in international flags, smiling and coming together in peace.
The newly reinstalled “In Peace and Harmony with Nature” finishes off that narrative to the far left of “Children of the World Dream of Peace,” as all are meant to be viewed together.
“Tanguma’s work references the social realist murals of Mexico depicting the destruction of the environment,” DIA officials wrote. “The first half of the mural depicts children displaying great sadness over the destruction and extinction of life, as the second half of the artwork depicts humanity coming together to rehabilitate and celebrate nature.”
Misinterpretations of Tanguma’s work are not new, but they have over the years led to occasional threats toward the artist and his family. New protective barriers will be installed for the mural, according to the airport.
“We’re thrilled to return these beloved artworks to the Great Hall,” said interim CEO Dave LaPorte. “We know passengers will be excited to see these familiar murals and sculptures, which have been the source of so many conversations over the years. Having these reinstalled is also a sign that the Great Hall project is making progress and nearing completion (anticipated end of 2027).”
, early construction delays and general layout have been the subject of conspiracy theories over the years that have alleged Nazi influences, secret tunnels for billionaires, Illuminati and world-leader cabals, and cursed relics. The most prominent piece is , the 32-foot-tall blue horse with glowing red eyes that has been co-opted in local merchandise and advertising as a symbol of Denver’s fierce, aggressive spirit.
Other pieces returning to the Great Hall include:
- “which pays homage to the artistap family vacations and the beauty and grandeur of the land, as well as the monuments and roadside attractions that dot the American landscape,” the airport said. It will return at the end of the week on Level 5, Northeast. “This work has been fully restored while in storage in collaboration with the artist.”
- The mural “which explores the concept that the land we live on records the stories of the people who have inhabited it,” is scheduled to return to Level 5, Southeast (by International Arrivals) in the middle of this month. It has also been fully restored while in storage in collaboration with the artist, the airport said.
- , “depicts the spirit of adventure, optimism and triumph that African Americans brought to Colorado and the Old West,” and will return to Level 5, Southwest (by International Arrivals) at the end of the month.
- More remaining artworks, including and the will be returned later this fall, according to the airport
Millions of dollars in public art has been unveiled or promised for the airport over the last year, including Detour’s lofty sculpture “It’s Not What You Take, It’s What You Bring Back,” near Gate 60 on Concourse B East, and the forthcoming “The Stars and the Cottonwood Tree,” a 60-foot-tall, $3.6 million sculpture that will be draped in 30,000 crystals, by artist Donald Lipski. The piece is currently being fabricated, according to the artist’s team.
