Leo Tanguma and Denver International Airport by Anonymous
Leo Tanguma, the artist of the murals found in the “Great Hall terminal at [The Denver International Airport]”, is known for his thought provoking art work. Many people question Tanguma’s motives and aesthetic, based on his controversial settings, but Tanguma defends his work by stating “‘A key element found in my work is the struggle for human liberation and democracy,’ he says. ‘This refers to dehumanizing conditions oppressed peoples strive to overcome such as poverty and homelessness in our cities, the destruction of the environment, racism and exploitation, or any unjust conditions.’” (“The Art of Leo Tanguma” Renowned Artist to Speak march 8 at CCA) The external conflict is that many outsiders that view Tanguma’s work only see the harsh surface of the mural, leading to questions and conspirers to influence others to see only the “bad” in the painting, and not the underlying meaning, struggle, perseverance and moral of the mural. In reality, Tanguma uses murals to “[reflect] a com...