Art in Vail

The Art in Public Places (AIPP) program is one of many culturally oriented programs in the Vail Valley. The intention of the program is to assemble a collection of works of art in public places which is educational, attractive to residents and guests, and of an overall aesthetic quality equal to the excellent international reputation the town enjoys as a resort. The Town’s public art collection includes over 45 works ranging from painting, sculptures, murals, playground components, to site-integrated art. A full color printed map of Vail’s public art collection is available at the Vail Village and Lionshead Welcome Centers and the Vail Public Library. There is also an interactive map at www.artinvail.com.

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: Memorial to Lyndon Ellefson; Located in Ellefson Park

: Model for an Arch in the Form of a Fishing Pole, Line, and Can; In the early 1980s, the Town of Vail wanted to commission a significant work of public art from a renowned artist. The goal was that the significant work of public art would serve as a cultural heritage landmark for the mountain community. Rod Slifer, who was the mayor of Vail in 1983, spearheaded the writing of a $50,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Subsequently, the Town of Vail administration commenced a dialogue with renowned artists Claes Oldenburg (b. 28 Jan 1929; d. 18 July 2022) and Coosje van Bruggen (b. 06 June 1942; d. 10 Jan 2009), who were friends with longtime local artist Dan Telleen. The artists conceived an oversized sculpture of a fishing pole approximately 50 to 60 feet high, that spanned the Gore Creek in Lionshead Village. At the end of the fishing line was a stainless steel tin can fetched from the waters of the mountain stream. Alongside the grant, private funding was secured to create the work. As soon as the model was submitted to the town, controversy raged over the subject matter. Some people in the community believed the artist was warning of the consequences of development. Others thought the tin can was an insult to the Gore Creek riparian corridor that graced the heart of the community. Consequently, the work was never created. The model was purchased by Chuck Rosenquist and donated to Art in Public Places, which is the community’s public art collection. The Oldenburg art model serves as an important part of Vail’s history, community, and cultural legacy. It is housed in the Vail Public Library.