Blue Mustang: The Demon Horse of the Denver International Airport

Mustang Statue by Luis Jimenez at Night. Artwork (c) 2009, The Estate of Luis Jimenez A.R.S.

What a tough day the Denver Broncos had yesterday. Not only do they have to head home as owners of one of the worst losses in Superbowl history, but their return will take them across the path of Blue Mustang, the towering 32-foot tall demon horse who guards the entrance and exit to Denver International Airport. A giant electric blue stallion with glowing red eyes, the rearing four and a half ton beast is lit from beneath, throwing his hellish face into high relief and revealing bulging red veins and an aggressively anatomically correct undercarriage. Looming menacingly over Peña Boulevard, the main road to and from the airport, Blue Mustang has earned a variety of half-joking, half-serious sobriquets from Denver locals, from “Blucifer” and “Satan’s Steed” to “Bizarro Mr. Ed.”Close up of Denver Airport Devil Horse Photographed by Brian Campbell

First installed in 2008 to immediate public objection, the sculpture was the creation of artist Luis Jiménez, known for his bold and occasionally controversial art featuring vibrant colors and irreverent takes on Chicano and Frontier themes. Sadly, Jiménez did not live to see the completion of Blue Mustang, as a portion of the unfinished sculpture fell on the artist in his studio in 2006, killing him and earning immediate rumors of the statue being cursed or haunted (or both). Small wonder that many describe the luridly terrifying figure in cobalt as nothing short of demonic.

Of course, Denver International Airport is no stranger to peculiarities. Since its opening in 1995, conspiracy theories have swirled around the airport, from its immense size and infrastructure spawning rumors of underground bunkers to the bizarre art and occult symbols said to be scattered throughout the terminals. What could be more fitting, then, than a giant blue horse with blazing eyes to guard its entrance?  One look through the gallery of Blue Mustang images below and it is clear that there may be worse things under heaven and earth than a Superbowl loss, kittens.

Related Posts:

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– La Isla de las Munecas: The Horror of Doll Island

– Beautiful Disaster: The Great Boston Molasses Tragedy



Categories: Oddities

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10 replies

  1. What a freaking fantastic piece of art, It makes me want to fly into Denver just to see it! It should be anatomically correct, who wants a horse with no junk.. I googled it as soon as I saw this post.

    Very interesting story!!!

  2. Epic. I want one for the garden I don’t have.

  3. I’ve never seen this before. Thanks for bringing it to my attention, it sure is arresting!

  4. I love the demon horse! Muah aha ha

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