Editor’s note: An untold number of unheralded artists live in Colorado, those creators who can’t (or don’t want to) get into galleries and rely on word of mouth, hard work, a little bit of luck or social media to make a living. You’ve likely seen them on Instagram, at festivals or at small-town art fairs. This occasional series, Through the Lens, will introduce you to some of these artists.
Thomas “Detour” Evans’ large-scale work at Denver International Airport, “It’s Not What You Take, It’s What You Bring Back,” was installed last week. The piece took 2 1/2 years to complete, and is the newest addition to DIA’s permanent public art collection.
According to a Jan. 13 story by The Post’s John Wenzel, 150 people donated luggage to the project after being invited online — to “give them a bigger stake in its completion,” Evans said.
The vibrant artwork is suspended from the ceiling near Gate 60 on Concourse B East. It’s 26 feet long, 12 feet wide and 8 feet high and weighs about 3 tons. Along with 183 bags, has 14 other items floating around it, such as binoculars, a telescope, a skateboard, a guitar, a 3-D printed bear and other pieces that are representative of Colorado.
This conversation has been edited for length.
Q. Tell us about the project.
A. When I first started this, I had zero 3-D sculpture experience. Zero. It worked out well, though, with a lot of help from many people.
The design concept was inspired by my upbringing. My dad was a West Point graduate. We moved every 3 to 5 years, so I am used to airports. I wanted to see work there that related to me but also to someone who is 80 years old or someone not from this country. For me, it was kind of like, “What do we have in common?” and luggage was that thing.
To combine that with the idea of translating my mural work, which is a lot about community and being together, I wanted to figure out a way to bring all that into one space. This is where the luggage, the color and then the idea of “upcycling” everything came from.
The shape from a distance resembles an infinity symbol, and when seen closer turns into a loop resembling the path of takeoff and landing with the colors resembling the sunrise and sunset of Colorado. It is as if you are landing in the night, taking off in the day, landing in the day and taking off at night and so forth. The floating items around it, from the snowboard to the Denver Nuggets jersey, all represent different aspects of Colorado.
Airports are never closed, there is always a plane in the sky or someone sleeping in an airport, so what would be more fitting than having the infinity symbol from far away being like a wayfinder? Then, when you get closer, breaking into that loop to where now it feels like it’s takeoff and landing?
I wanted to be super thoughtful about everything I did. Every bag was carefully curated from the people who donated them; for me, that was the best part of it.
Q. Where did you get the materials for the project?
A. About 90% was donated and 10% was collected from all over Colorado in places like Goodwill shops. The orange guitar represents the music scene in Colorado, like Red Rocks. The red bear pays homage to the Blue Bear in downtown Denver while also paying homage to the nature we find in our state. The skateboard, donated by musician skateboarder Chris Haven, represents the skater culture. The telescope represents the outdoors and astronomy.
Not only did people donate bags but they also shared their stories. This sculpture is all about the endless journey in life and the bags we use to carry the things we hold dear. We have to realize that no matter what community, nationality, background, or what time period in history you explore, bags are universal. So, what is more fitting than having 183 bags from Colorado residents to make a portrait of Colorado? Some bags were used to migrate to a whole new country; other bags were used to carry Legos next to homework.
Q. Is there one story that stood out to you when you were learning the stories?
A. John-Claude Futrell donated a piece of luggage that carries immense significance to him. It was a camera bag that belonged to his grandfather, Lt. Col. John W. Mosley, who was a Tuskegee Airman and a trailblazer in aviation. He was also the first lettered Black football player at CSU. Another was from a man named Henry, whose father passed away when he was 10. His mother took him out of school to go through the grieving process and they traveled the world for a year, he with that bag. He is thirty-something now, but didn’t want to get rid of that Spiderman bag. Now that piece is immortalized. Now people can learn more about the story of his dad and what he went through.
Stories like that were a big part of this project. All of these stories that are tied to one bag.
Q. You talked about things you can see on the sculpture. Are there any “Easter eggs” in there, or things hidden?
A. Officially no. But unofficially there may be some things in the bags. A lot of the bags that I got had so many different stories attached and every bag for me feels like a different decade. I was given a whole chest to throw in there, then someone else gave me a piece of luggage that was made up entirely of wood, so there are lots of different ones. Every bag is super different so each of those pieces of luggage had their own Easter eggs in there.
Q. You used spray paint. Can you talk about the process?
A. I basically tore everything out of the bag to empty it. We had to fill each bag with fire-retardant insulation and fire-resistant wool. Then we coated it with Gesso flame retardant primer because the fire department said we had to. Then I painted each bag with spray paint colors that would last a long time. It’s fitting because I use the same paint on my murals as well.
Q. Did you contribute anything of your own?
A. I have a few bags in there, bags I used to travel, and a camera bag as well.
Q. What would say to a young artist who wants to be where you are today?
A. Start young and just keep going. My mom bought me my first airbrush kit in high school. Before that, I was drawing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles every day. We were constantly moving and that was a way of making friends. Art was a way I communicated.
My attitude when it comes to artwork is that you have to love to do it and not worry about the outcome.
Q. What are your Tuesday Tips?
A. #ArtTipTuesdays are Instagram posts that I do every Tuesday, for about nine years now. Sometimes it’s simple information about color, or networking. I just wanted to be the artist who I would want to meet and talk to for help.
Q. What inspires you?
A. I try to create things that others haven’t, and use mediums that are unexplored. My interest changes from year to year, and from project to project. I tried to do as much traveling as I can and get outside my comfort zone to get inspired.
I love doing murals. It’s all about being able to express myself creatively and in different ways but it’s also about the challenge of trying to tackle a wall or a different creative problem. How do I use color? How do I use shape? How do I use volume? Every artist has to figure out how to be different.
Q. Where does the name “Detour” come from?
A. A breakdance VHS tape that I bought when I was about 15 and living in Germany. The tape was called “Detours: An Experimental Dance Collaboration.” I loved the Dance Crew tape because I used to breakdance a lot. I also loved what Detour meant and what it was all about, so I pretty much called myself Detour after that.
Q. What’s next?
A. I want to create a website on the piece so everyone can read the stories behind each bag. And hopefully I can do more projects like this. You get to have work where millions of people are coming through to see it and experience it.
I’m also working with (graphic designer/artist) Julian Donaldson and (artist) Desiree Pare to create coveralls. They are custom-cut, so we are dialing in measurements. I didn’t want this to be just blanks with random graphics. This is something that I wanted from start to finish.
I have always been interested in clothing design, but only wanted to get into it when it felt right. I didn’t want to just put my work on a T-shirt and sell it. Rather, I wanted to create clothing that worked for me as an artist. I wanted it to feel cool and comfortable, but also being a utility item that I can use as a uniform. Because I get paint all over me.
Detour can be found at iamdetour.com and on Instagram at @detour303