COLUMNS & COFFEE:
FIGURAL SCULPTURE IN CIVIC CENTER
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 6, 2025
10:00 am GATHER & COFFEE
10:30 am DENVER ART MUSEUM TOUR
11:00 am CIVIC CENTER TOUR
GATHER
Cafe Gio
Denver, CO 80204
$20 Members, $25 General, Free for Students
Registration is Required, Space is Limited!
Join the ICAA Rocky Mountain Chapter for a special morning exploring the intersection of sculpture, architecture, and urban design through the work of Alexander Phimister Proctor, one of the most influential American sculptors of the early 20th century. Known for his monumental bronzes of frontier riders, wildlife, allegorical figures, and depictions of Native peoples, Proctor helped define the visual identity of American civic spaces—nowhere more strikingly than in his hometown of Denver.
Our tour begins on the seventh floor of the Denver Art Museum, where a gallery holds a collection of Proctor’s early studies and maquettes. These small-scale bronzes reveal the sculptor’s hand at work—experimenting with gesture, composition, and meaning. From this intimate vantage point, we will trace the transformation from studio model to finished monument.
We’ll then step outside into Civic Center Park to encounter the completed sculptures in context, including the iconic bronzes flanking the Greek Theater axis. As we walk, we’ll consider how figural sculpture was used as a vital component of early 20th-century city-making—marking axes, animating plazas, and embodying shared civic ideals.
This program is part of the ICAA’s ongoing mission to promote the classical tradition in architecture, urbanism, and the allied arts. Whether you're a practicing designer or a curious enthusiast, you’ll gain a new appreciation for the role of sculpture in shaping public space—and for the artistry that continues to inspire Denver’s civic identity today.