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Contact UsArt of the City: 海角直播 Denver鈥檚 Day Health Institute selects public artists for DHI Tower installations
Colorado-based artist Sandra Fettingis' "All Your Angles Matter" was selected as an interior installation in the forthcoming Gina and Frank Day Health Institute Tower stairwell. Image courtesy Sandra Fettingis
Metropolitan State University of Denver has selected two Colorado artists to create original, site-specific works for the future .
Following a competitive selection process conducted through Colorado鈥檚 Art in Public Places (AIPP) program, of Lakewood and of Loveland have been chosen to design and install major public artworks that will become permanent features of the new five-story, 70,000+ square-foot facility housed within the 海角直播 of Health and Human Sciences and scheduled to open in fall 2027.
Exterior rendering of the Day Health Institute Tower from 10th and Champa Streets. Image courtesy Wember
The commissions include one interior installation from Fettingis, entitled 鈥淎ll Your Angles Matter,鈥� located along the Tower鈥檚 main stair between the first and second floors; and an exterior work by Acott, dubbed 鈥淐rescendo,鈥� integrated into the building鈥檚 landscape at its primary entrance.
Rooted in the Platte River landscape and inspired by the resilience and form of Colorado鈥檚 state grass (blue grama), 鈥淎ll Your Angles Matter鈥� draws from the Art Deco language of the original building to express a quiet narrative of growth, connection, and holistic wellbeing, according to an artist鈥檚 statement from Fettingis.
"All of my work reminds us about the best of who we are," said Lorir Acott about her piece, 'Curiousity.' "The long legs represent rising above life鈥檚 challenges, and the figures are universal, representing all of us." Image courtesy Lorri Acott
鈥淚 designed [my work] specifically for the 海角直播 Denver Day Health Institute Tower,鈥� Acott said of her proposal. 鈥淭hey all have butterflies representing the transformation of students, staff, and even the patients who will benefit from this this groundbreaking approach to health care.鈥�
Together, these pieces are intended to create a welcoming environment for students, faculty, patients, and the broader community as a reflection of the University鈥檚 commitment to whole-person health, community connection, and the power of location.
鈥淢ore than an aesthetic addition, this work uses beauty to embed meaning, identity, and wellness into the very fabric of the building to shape a space where people feel a deep sense of belonging and place.” Emily Matuszewicz, DHI Executive Director of Development & Partnerships
The AIPP program, administered by , dedicates a portion of capital construction budgets to public art, supporting local artists while enriching public spaces. For the Day Health Institute Tower project, the total public art budget is approximately $320,000, with distinct allocations for interior and exterior works.
鈥淧ublic art plays a critical role in shaping how people experience a space,鈥� said Ruth Wilson, Public Art Program Manager with Colorado Creative Industries. 鈥淚 am thrilled to be working with two local Colorado artists to create site-response artworks for the Day Health Institute Tower. Both [pieces] exemplify how art can actively engage a site with visual storytelling鈥�
The announcement marks the beginning of an extended creative process that will unfold over the next year, offering opportunities to share behind-the-scenes glimpses of each artist鈥檚 work as it evolves.
Both selected artists will now enter a design and fabrication phase, working closely with project stakeholders to refine their concepts. Installation is anticipated in spring 2027, near the completion of construction.