Luis Jimenez 1940-2006

[fused]

The world has lost a truely great artist, as reported in the El Paso Times (http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_3933922).

Luis Jimenez (http://txtell.lib.utexas.edu/stories/j0002-full.html) was one of the few sculptors who actually used fiberglas in the way it was designed (modeling clay and pulling molds) to create monumental sculpture. He mastered drawing (http://www.artnet.com/artist/9018/luis-jimenez.html) on all scales, avoided no subjects he felt strongly about, and was equally comfortable creating huge colorful images with lumber crayons or editions of intimately detailed prints in a variety of methods. Luis was generous with his knowledge and aquired skills through teaching and just plain being there for anyone who expressed an interest in art and life. He will be missed by everyone who's lives he touched.

Houston Chronicle - June 12, 2006 (http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/3967629.html)

Luis Jimenez, a major American sculptor whose piece Vaquero welcomes visitors to Houston's Moody Park, died Tuesday as a result of injuries suffered in an accident in his studio in Hondo, N.M. He was 65.

He had been working there on one of the monumental fiberglass sculptures of mustangs commissioned for the Denver airport.

Jimenez is renowned for his public sculpture Vaquero, a brilliantly colored fiberglass sculpture, 16 1/2 feet tall, depicting a Mexican cowboy on his rearing horse. The sculpture became the center of heated debate, as some residents said they thought the gun-wielding cowboy sent a poor image to and about the predominantly Hispanic area.

The sculpture was the first in a long roster of public works that welcome visitors on the steps of the National Museum of American Art in Washington, D.C. and into Houston's Moody Park.

Born in El Paso in 1940, the artist grew up in the Second Barrio of the border city. His father and grandmother had crossed the border from Mexico in 1924. The senior Jimenez made neon signs that the artist said "were individual works of great imagination."

"Working with my Dad was very important," the artist told the Houston Chronicle in 1983. "I was groomed to take over the company and his feeling was that it was important for me to learn those skills as well."

Jimenez received his bachelor of science degree in art and architecture from the University of Texas at Austin, followed by studies at the Autonomous National University in Mexico City and as assistant to sculptor Seymour Lipton in New York City.

Jimenez is represented in the permanent collections of prestigious institutions across the country.

[Merlion]

I'm afraid I do not know of him and his works. What attracted my attention is that he died of an accident in his studio. Here are further details, taken from here (http://www.kltv.com/Global/story.asp?S=5027982&nav=1TjD):

"The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office says part of a sculpture was being moved with a hoist at Jimenez's studio in Hondo, New Mexico, when it came loose and struck the artist, pinning him against a steel support. He was taken to a medical center, where he was later pronounced dead."

It is very sad.

[ironman]

Hi, I was sorry to hear this news and as someone who lives in SW New Mexico (150 mi. from El Paso) I am familiar with his work. I like his sculptures but to me, the real treat is seeing his pencil drawings and lithographs, they are fantastic! He was a wonderful draftsman, his sense of color, line and the expressiveness of his 2D work is something that if you get the chance to see, don't miss it.
Have a nice day,
Jeff

[Landseer]

Well then you will want THIS url for sure:

http://www.taospaint.com/Luis/Jimenez.html

[Merlion]

This seems to be a good obituaries (http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-jimenez15jun15,1,276317.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-california&ctrack=1&cset=true) by the LA Times on Jimenez (who happens to be my age). Some excerpts below.

OBITUARIES
Luis Jimenez Jr., 65; Artist Whose Sculptures Are on Public Display Nationwide

The art of Luis Jimenez Jr. possesses a presence.

Displayed in parks, museums and other public spaces around the nation, his massive fiberglass sculptures add beauty, provoke discussion and sometimes spark controversy. His art has been described as dominant, raw and passionate.

Such work — and the emotion he poured into it — earned Jimenez international recognition, including exhibitions at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

"He was a man who couldn't quit working and it was the work that eventually took his life," said his widow, Susan Brockman.

On Tuesday, Jimenez and two employees were working in his Hondo, N.M., studio moving part of a sculpture of a mustang designed for Denver International Airport. They were moving "the statuary with a hoist when the artpiece got loose," said officials with the Lincoln County Sheriff's Department. The piece fell on Jimenez and pinned him to a steel support. The 65-year-old artist suffered severe trauma to his leg and was pronounced dead at Lincoln County Medical Center.

Stuart Ashman, secretary of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, called Jimenez "the most important Chicano artist in the United States. His talents as an innovator, great draftsman and social commentator, particularly on social issues of the Mexican American Chicano community, made great contributions to contemporary art in America." [snip]

Jimenez prided himself on creating art that was accessible in its location and theme by depicting scenes from the life of the common man.

"He wanted his pieces to be where people enjoyed them and loved them," said gallery owner and longtime friend Adair Margo of El Paso. "He also did lithographs to make work more affordable to more people. That was very important to him." [snip]

[fused]

una mas...

The Artist as a Common Man (http://www.ruidosonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060616/NEWS01/606160325/1001) from the Ruidoso News,
and
his "VAQUERO" (http://americanart.si.edu/collections/tours/jimenez/index.html) is being re-installed outside the National Museum of American Art.

The The NY Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/15/arts/design/15jimenez.html?_r=3&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin) and a few more images (http://americanart.si.edu/search/search_artworks1.cfm?StartRow=1&LastName=Jimenez&FirstName=Luis&Title=&Keyword=&Accession=&dosearch=Go&db=onlyart&format=short).

[Merlion]

For those who are interested, a photo taken in 2003 of the partially done sculpture 'mustang' that killed Luis Limenez is shown with him in this article (http://www.abqtrib.com/albq/fe_visual_arts/article/0,2564,ALBQ_19848_4777504,00.html).

[Jasonik]

Luis Jimenez, Alligators (http://www.artsonthepoint.com/jimenez_luis/alligators.html)

[fused]

Luis Jiménez: Four Decades of Art (http://ia.utep.edu/Default.aspx?tabid=41866)
University of Texas at El Paso Groups Collaborate to Honor El Paso Artist

UTEP will host three simultaneous exhibitions honoring the late famed sculptor and draftsman Luis Jiménez this month. The Stanlee and Gerald Rubin Center for the Visual Arts, the UTEP Library and the Centennial Museum will each host exhibits featuring works spanning Jiménez’s four-decade career, including sculptures, lithographs and drawings.

[Merlion]

For those who are interested, a photo taken in 2003 of the partially done sculpture 'mustang' that killed Luis Limenez is shown with him in this article (http://www.abqtrib.com/albq/fe_visual_arts/article/0,2564,ALBQ_19848_4777504,00.html).
Sculpture that caused artist’s death to be installed at Denver (http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/66779.html)

August 16, 2007, DENVER — A 32-foot sculpture of a rearing horse that friends say acclaimed artist Luis Jimenez was working on when a piece fell and killed him is being completed and could be installed at Denver International Airport by the end of this year.....

Airport spokesman Steve Snyder said Jimenez’s family worked to finish the fiberglass structure, though it was unclear whether family members did the work themselves or hired another artist.

“We’re in final negotiations right now with the family to try to get it here,” Snyder said. “We think it should be here by the end of the year.”

The Mustang was commissioned in 1992 at a cost of $300,000. Over the years, there had been several arguments and lawsuits over the pace of the work. In June 2006, Jimenez died at his Hondo, N.M., studio when a section of the sculpture came loose from a hoist and pinned him against a steel support beam. He was 65.....

[marblecutter]

Did sculptor Luis Jimenez commit suicide by letting the sculpture fall?

[Ries]

From all I have read, it was indeed an accident.

I too was a fan of his sculpture, but, like Ironman, I also really liked his graphic work.
I saw a show once of paintings of his about chicano war veterans, and their war experiences, that was some of the most moving work about war I have ever seen.

Its sad he died, but at least he went while making art.

[Merlion]

Did sculptor Luis Jimenez commit suicide by letting the sculpture fall?
What made you suspect he committed sucide? All the information we get is that it was an accident. Anyway to probe into this, you'd have to ask the two employees who were with him when the sculpture fell on him. See post #5 above.

[marblecutter]

For those who may not know, Luis Jimenez lost an eye from working with fiberglass. I have seen other people with lost visions from working with such material. Having vision in only one eye can create problems in judgment while hoisting a heavy material in space- also the rush to meet the 1992 deadline.
When I moved to El Paso Texas in 1991, soon there after, Jimenez' fiberglass sculpture Los Largatos (The Alligators), was installed in the center of the city 10 years past the deadline.
The suicide issue is only a speculation. As we know, life insurance does not compensate for suicidal acts, so accidents will remain the primary cause of some deaths for now.

[Merlion]

Oh! The lost of vision of one eye is not such a big handicap for a sculptor. I speak from personal experience as I effectively use one eye for seeing things beause of my double vision.

With regard to lifting and manipulating big and heavy objects, the glass sculptor Chihuly lost one eye at I think a traffic accident. He continues to be very active, if not more so with his big glass projects all over the world, including big hanging glass sculptures.

[artjimenez]

[QUOTE=marblecutter]For those who may not know, Luis Jimenez lost an eye from working with fiberglass.
-well this is wrong. i hate to tell you this, but it is. He lost his sight when he was young to an accident involving a BB gun.
-second as for the acusations of suicide.. it is ludacris. please get your facts correct before assuming to broad cast them publicly. "As we know, life insurance does not compensate for suicidal acts, so accidents will remain the primary cause of some deaths for now." you should really think about your claims before you state them because you may find that it could offend certain people. please be considerate

[marblecutter]

I apologize for all speculative statements made without supporting facts. I do miss Luis Jimenez deeply. I met him when the Vaquero sculpture was installed in front of the newly relocated El Paso Museum of Art. He invited me to Hondo New Mexico to see his studio. I met him again during the Arte Latino show: http://www.tfaoi.com/aa/2aa/2aa181.htm
Lastly I met him during the 20th year celebration of the Adair Margo Gallery, and I was there for the tribute and vigil also at the Adair Margo Gallery; unfortunately, I really did not get to know him personally.
I will refrain from making statements based solely from my own speculative frame of mind. I will continue to worship great artists who have bathed in the El Paso sun and blessed by its occasional rain.

jcm

[Merlion]

This is news about his 32-ft horse 'Mustang'.

'Mustang' sculpture on course for DIA debut (http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5735081,00.html)

Oct 30, 2007. The city wants to install Luis Jimenez's long-awaited Mustang at DIA by the end of the year, but first the sculpture needs about $250,000 worth of repairs to its skin and tweaks in its engineering.

DIA officials said today during a briefing to the city's public art committee that they need $250,000 to do the job. .....

The city took possession of Mustang on Oct. 13, nearly ending the saga of a piece of art that was commissioned in 1992, was subject to legal action and mediation, and that eventually killed the artist June 13, 2006. ....

The city shipped the piece from the studio to the California-based firm Kreysler & Associates, which oversaw installation of the Big Blue Bear at the Colorado Convention Center.

Kent Stutsman, an estimator at DIA, told the public art committee that when Kreysler and others looked at the piece in Jimenez's studio, they recommended work on the armature, on repairing the fiberglass skin, and on upgrading wiring for the mustang's flashing eyes.

[Merlion]

The sculpture Mustang has after years of unfortunate delay finally arrived at Denvar Internatonal Airport. It looks quite nice while still under wraps.

Long-delayed mustang sculpture arrives at Denver airport (http://www.denverpost.com/nationalpolitics/ci_8230511)

2/11/2008. Assoc Press.

http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site36/2008/0211/20080211__HORSE_KSO_2_11_08175~p1.jpg

DENVER—A long-delayed sculpture of a mustang by the late Luis Jimenez has arrived at Denver International Airport.

Airport officials said Monday that crews would begin installing the 32-foot-tall fiberglass work immediately, unless high winds interfere. ...

[Merlion]

Apparently Jimenez selected a blue color for this "Mustang". This color is unusual for a horse statue. We'll have to wait and see if this is the final color.

Horse sculpture soars outside DIA (http://www.denverpost.com/extremes/ci_8234829)

Feb 12, 2008. ....Workers on Monday began assembling the 32-foot-tall fiberglass work on a median outside Denver International Airport.

http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site36/2008/0212/20080212__MustangDIABlue~p1_200.jpg
Workmen John Van Aucken and Serge Labesque work on
an access plate on the chest of the 32 foot tall fiberglass
"Mustang" by artist Luis Jimenez that is being installed outside
of Denver International Airport on Tuesday, February 12, 2008.

"All that was left was the paint, and there was a little bit of concern about how to handle that, said Kendall Peterson, public art administrator in the Denver Office of Cultural Affairs. "His studio — his son — ended up finishing the painting with colors mixed in his records, so it can be considered Luis' work."

[Tlouis]

Finally getting this horse up and rearing was well worth the wait. I love it! Bravo Luis! A damn shame you aren't still with us.
Lou

[marblecutter]

Unveiled

[racine]

curiosity made me look up this artists work, erm.. are you sure it wasnt murder?

[Merlion]

I wrote in post #20 on Feb 13.

Apparently Jimenez selected a blue color for this "Mustang". This color is unusual for a horse statue. We'll have to wait and see if this is the final color.

I now note the color of Mustang is indeed blue. And this is causing some controversy, a 'love-hate relationship', see below.

The DIA Mustang: It's a love-hate relationship (http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=88020)

Mar 13, 2008. DENVER – Bright blue and 32 feet tall, the Mustang sculpture at Denver International Airport is hard to miss. It sits near the airport's entrance on Pena Boulevard. But not everyone is admiring the view.

"It's quite frightening, and it's very strange," says Limousine Driver Brennan Hicks who sees the statue every day. Hicks isn't happy with the view and, not once, has he ever called it "beautiful". "Popping red veins and bulging red eyes, it's quite disturbing," Hicks laments. He also worries that the statue, which many visitors to Denver see right after they leave the airport for the first time, will cast the city in a bad light. ...

http://www.9news.com/assetpool/images/080212113037_02-12-08-DIASculpture.jpg

However, like any piece of art, maybe beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Other passengers said, "It's quite amazing", "I like it, yeah.".

The Denver Office of Cultural Affairs says public response to the sculpture has been about 50-50. The staff thinks more people would like the Mustang if they learned about the artist and his work.

"Luis Jimenez started creating major fine art pieces in fiberglass back in the 60's. He's one of the first artists to do so," says Public Arts Administrator, Kendall Peterson.

There have been specific complaints about the Mustang's red eyes, but Peterson says they have nothing to do with "the devil" as some have claimed. "It's been said, it could possibly be (Jimenez') nod to the fact that his father, when we he was growing up, owned a neon shop."

Peterson says a key part of the display is missing. The artist wanted people to be able to walk right up to the sculpture. Due to post 9-11 security measures, however, that is not possible. "We're trying to work with DIA to, at some point, find a way to access the sculpture," Peterson said. ...

[Merlion]

Here below is a video link taken from the same news link above. It has interesting footage of the Mustang lighted up at night, including the red eyes.

The Controvery over the New DIA Sculpture Continues (http://www.9news.com/video/player.aspx?aid=49841&bw=)