If Once We Ever Were
If Once We Ever Were is a sculpture and temporary monument for the city of Denver, Colorado. The monument is a triumphal arch composed of chainlink fencing. Triumphal arches are iconic forms that can be found in diverse locations across the globe, from ancient Rome to the gateway of Yellowstone National Park. Just as these traditional arches are erected to commemorate significant persons or events, this sculpture was established to recognize immigrants and their contribution to our communities. Here, the fencing acts as a metaphor for boundaries—the delineation of private and public space, the division of geographical borders, and the separation of rights.
Black Cube and The Denver Theatre District commissioned the work in 2019. The sculpture was installed in front of Understudy, a culture incubator space dedicated to creative exploration, from December 6, 2019 – February 2, 2020. During the installation, the sculpture underwent a transformation while it was on display. A blanket of artificial flowers created by immigrants covered the arch. The colorful cloak of flowers references The Carnation Gold Rush. It was a period of time between 1863-1931 when flower farming thrived in Colorado and immigrant communities thrived with it. The flowers are a hopeful gesture — hope for collective unity and a better future for all immigrants.
Temporary Monuments to Denver is a part of MONUMENTAL—a series of public, contemporary artworks and community engagement programs produced by Black Cube (a nomadic art museum) and the Denver Theatre District, funded in part by the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation and the David and Laura Merage Foundation. Special thanks to Cortney Stell, Executive Director + Chief Curator of Black Cube.
