"Fish Bellies" by artist Joe O'Connell at Texas State University. The lighted sculptures are similar to a style approved by Aurora City Council for construction at the planned light rail station at Colfax near I-225. "Composed of layers of frosted acrylic, Fish Bellies’ large biomorphic forms draw inspiration from the social and biological diversity of the nearby San Marcos River reflecting parallels between its ecological life and the University’s varied student body. During the day, the piece’s translucency operates like an ethereal anatomy whereas at night it transforms into a bioluminescent landscape."

AURORA | Art is coming to Aurora’s light rail as well as its libraries.

Aurora City Council voted Monday to approve a contract with Arizona-based artist  Joe O’Connell to create $300,000 worth of art and sculptures to accompany the new light rail station bridge at Colfax Avenue.

O’Connell’s concept for the Colfax Ave. bridge is called “Stories Interweave” and consists of eight to twelve suspended stainless steel chandelier-like structures that use point source LED lighting. The lights would project different languages spoken by Aurora residents onto the surface of  the south and north platforms of the station.

"Fish Bellies" by artist Joe O'Connell at Texas State University. The lighted sculptures are similar to a style approved by Aurora City Council for construction at the planned light rail station at Colfax near I-225. "Composed of layers of frosted acrylic, Fish Bellies’ large biomorphic forms draw inspiration from the social and biological diversity of the nearby San Marcos River reflecting parallels between its ecological life and the University’s varied student body. During the day, the piece’s translucency operates like an ethereal anatomy whereas at night it transforms into a bioluminescent landscape."
“Fish Bellies” by artist Joe O’Connell at Texas State University. The lighted sculptures are similar to a style approved by Aurora City Council for construction at the planned light rail station at Colfax near I-225. “Composed of layers of frosted acrylic, Fish Bellies’ large biomorphic forms draw inspiration from the social and biological diversity of the nearby San Marcos River reflecting parallels between its ecological life and the University’s varied student body. During the day, the piece’s translucency operates like an ethereal anatomy whereas at night it transforms into a bioluminescent landscape.”
“Fish Bellies” by artist Joe O’Connell at Texas State University. The lighted sculptures are similar to a style approved by Aurora City Council for construction at the planned light rail station at Colfax near I-225. “Composed of layers of frosted acrylic, Fish Bellies’ large biomorphic forms draw inspiration from the social and biological diversity of the nearby San Marcos River reflecting parallels between its ecological life and the University’s varied student body. During the day, the piece’s translucency operates like an ethereal anatomy whereas at night it transforms into a bioluminescent landscape.”

Mary Allman-Koernig, public art Coordinator for The City of Aurora, said O’Connell will engage with Aurora residents to come up with the words and phrases.

“He will work with RTD and CDOT to ensure they’re colors we can use without interfering with traffic,” she added. She showed city council an example of a  similar project O’Connell worked on for Interstate 35 in San Antonio, Texas, that paints the underpass in ethereal luminescence at all times of day.

O’Connell’s design and fabrication company called Creative Machines has crafted sculptures that react to people’s touch, heartbeat as well as waving hands. He was chosen from 78 artists who submitted work to the city’s Art In Public Places Commission.

At the same study session, city council also unanimously approved a full-size sculpture of  Martin Luther King, Jr. to be placed in front of the Aurora library named after the civil rights activist on 9898 E. Colfax Ave.

The sculpture will cost $90,500 and will come out of the  2015 city budget.

The sculpture would measure nearly seven feet and be cast in bronze.

11 replies on “Lighted public art chosen to shine inside Colfax light rail station”

  1. Nice to know that the city of Aurora has money to blow on expensive art. I wonder how long the art will last at a light rail station before getting vandalized?

    1. I am sure cronyism or some related bid is at hand. Local Aurora politicians are the worst. They often have a financial benefit to the decisions they make.

    2. Colorado artists receive the invitation to bid just like everyone else. Read the guidelines for the AIPP Program.

  3. 1. We don’t need or want custom art at a mass transit stop. 2. How long before its vandalized? 3. That’s way too much to spend. 4. No Aurora artist art is good enough for a train stop?

    1. Who is “we”? Aurora voters said yes “we” do want and support public art in our city for all to enjoy.

      1. When was that? Taxpayer vote or through elected officials? Either way is proper, but if it was through our officials, we need new representatives.

  4. The mayor and some councilmembers had the audacity to fault voters for not approving tax increases to fund necessary transportation projects in the last election. Hey Hogan, I found somewhere you can cut!

    1. The AIPP Program is funded by a tax on new developments in Aurora. So unless you are a real estate developer, you get to enjoy this new art for free!

      1. Sorry, Michelle, nothing is free. Higher taxes on developers are passed on to buyers. Also, could not the budgeters plan and council vote to spend that development tax on transportation and public safety, instead of faulting the taxpayers for not agreeing to new property taxes, as Mayor Hogan did?

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