UNIDOS
COMMUNITY DRIVEN PUBLIC SCULPTURE
MESA VERDE PARK 2019
UNIDOS was created by the Harwood Art Center’s Apprenticeship for Art & Social Justice program. Working in collaboration with young artists (ages 16-23), this public sculpture was designed to honor the beauty and community that forms through migration, both in the migratory convening of butterflies and within the diverse community of Albuquerque’s International District.
UNIDOS is an abstracted butterfly form that hovers 18 feet over Mesa Verde Park patrons. It creates a shady, calming space during the day and lights up at night using solar-powered LEDs. The underside of its canopy is adorned with a multitude of handcrafted steel, colorful butterflies that are attached on kinetic hardware, creating a texture that moves with the wind. The top of the sculpture also serves as a water catchment system, providing water for plants below. UNIDOS creates a comforting space to reflect on the unique culture of the La Mesa neighborhood, while recognizing the personal journeys that occurred in order for this remarkable community to exist.
COLLABORATORS
LEAD ARTISTS: Ryan Henel & Helen Atkins
PROGRAM DIRECTOR: Jen DePaolo
APPRENTICES: Adriana Fuentes, Elliot Pending, Eric Molina, Gabriella Muniz, Ilyssa Gutierrez, Joursele Kchrezne Bang-as, Kimberly Fuentes-Marmolejo, Lars Larsen, Lilian Estes, Mariah Garcia, Ragnar Seidel
The Apprenticeship for Art & Social Justice at Harwood Art Center was made possible by generous support from New Mexico Youth Conservation Corps, City of Albuquerque 1% for Public Art Program and Sandia Foundation, as well as in-kind support from Contreras Construction and Positive Energy Solar.