Denver International Airport By: Kaylee Boudreaux

 

Airports are used all over the world by countless people every day, although not all airports are considered equal; we all know the small town airports that have sketchy aircrafts and questionable runways as well as the high-class airlines with top of the line flight attendants and facilities—but what if I told you that the Denver International Airport (DIA) was like no other?  I traveled to Colorado this past summer and noticed the sheer size of the airport as well as the many colorful paintings throughout the building.  I took great regard to the tram within the facility, mostly because it fascinated me, the many floors of escalators, along with the amount of windows to look out at the mountainous view.  I didn’t ponder or stare for long, I only glanced at my surroundings; but if I would have taken a better look at the details of the Denver Airport I would have discovered many questionable finds in which some of today’s conspiracy theories are developed upon.  The main conspiracy theories about the Denver airport include:

1.  The runway of the airport, from a sky view, resembles, quite similarly, a Nazi German swastika—does the airport have anything to do with the Germans or foreign affairs (“Denver International Airport Conspiracy Theories”)?  The layout of the runways is not the most proficient when it comes to large storms and overall production throughout the day, so what was the true reason behind the shape?

2.  It has been reported that shortly after the airport opened for business, after a year behind schedule and delay, the public became aware that the approximately billion dollar budget was exceeded by an additional 2 billion dollars (“5 Weird Conspiracy Theories Surrounding the Denver International Airport”).  Some of that money was put into a complex baggage system that was too easily given up on when the attempts to use it quickly failed, so what happened to all of those underground tunnels?  There is evidence of large bunkers under the airport that’s size is hard to fathom for the public.  It is speculated that the airport is a part of the “New World Order network made up of Illuminati, Freemason, Knights Templar, and Skull and Bones” (“Denver International Airport conspiracies revealed as ‘true’”).

3.  The large blue horse appears to be a symbol of the Denver Broncos, but many theorists believe that the glowing red eyes and the history of death of the terrifyingly large horse is a symbol of an oncoming apocalypse (“Sinister Sites – The Denver International Airport”).

4.  Lastly, the paintings throughout the airport show children from all over the world with colors that resemble rainbows, but not everything about the art is pleasant…images of swords, death, and gas masks are pictured if you take a closer look at the murals—some say they represent world peace, while others speculate a connection with Nazi Germany, and some infer a New World Order (“Sinister Sites–The Denver International Airport”).

All of these theories have valid reasons for their speculation, the question is: are they right?

 

The airport’s colorful, yet questionable murals are one of the first things people see when arriving at the Denver International Airport (DIA).  The murals have caused much controversy and are tied to one well known and highly regarded artist named Leo Tanguma.  Since the DIA opened for business in 1995, Tanguma’s artwork has been scrutinized and thought to have deeper, underlining messages tied to the New World Order, thus striking conspiracy theorist’s eye (“Prison Planet Forum”).

Tanguma identifies with Mexican-Americans and connects with oppressed groups, having experienced hardship himself (“Christian Social Network”).  Having painted for more than 40 years in various places, Tanguma takes inspiration for new pieces from a variety of topics, although he keeps the constant, reoccurring theme of a “struggle for human liberation and human dignity” in each of his murals (1).  His outlook on life and intentions began to be questioned while painting many murals for the Houston area.  After many of his pieces had been completed for the city, they would go missing or be destroyed completely (1).  His reputation with the area was not one of high prestige, but rather one of dark connotations. 

Tanguma’s name in the art world has been one of constant hardship (1). His career as an artist is characterized through upward strife.  His intentions have been put up for deliberation more than once for his controversial topics and depictions of dying children and a world in chaos, tearing itself apart (1).  Although, throughout all of the criticism and questioning, many individuals from various different backgrounds have valued Tanguma’s work because they could relate to the hardships and stories he depicted in his murals (1).

Tanguma is an interesting and intriguing character that has more than meets the eye.  He is driven by his values and morals as well as his thoughts concerning the world and its deep topics.  He takes his thoughts about the world and all of its dark sides and portrays them for the public eye—knowing the consequences (“Christian Social Network”).  When confronted with a question as to why he paints on such topics he responds with: “I came to realize that what compelled me to paint were the moral and religious values I had learned as a youth which taught me to fight injustice wherever I could” (1).  Because of his internal conflicts and controversial ideas, Tanguma causes external turmoil within his practice due to how his artwork is initially interpreted (1).  If every artist chose to create anything with the intent to extend on popular, yet highly debatable topics, there would most likely be a lot more controversy in the world.              

Although Tanguma’s murals have clearly caused much controversy over the years, the artwork seems to have been exploited even more so, years after being displayed in the Denver International Airport—is this because of the popularity and public hub at which the DIA has become, the interesting conspiracies brought up concerning other parts of the airport, or both (“Christian Social Network”)?  When confronted with conspiracy ideas connected to his own work, Tanguma states that “I was given no conditions; no concerns were expressed…about its possible political content…I developed a sculptural mural composition depicting my Mexican-American community coming to rediscover our cultural heritage and history” (1).  Aside from all of the questions, one thing is sure—Tanguma’s artwork has always been created with the purpose to spread the truth of the world “expressing [his] deeply held ideas”; although harsh, they bring a new light to the ideas that surround the life we all live (1).    

The Denver International Airport (DIA) is a highly controversial topic in its own right.  The public has speculated many connections and explanations for the happenings and construction of the large hub, although with each new conspiracy theory that arises, many can’t help but to comprehend the logic and somehow grasp the possibility of other alternatives in the DIA.  Since the airport opened for business, many have connected the Denver International Airport with something larger than itself…many say it “‘means something’” (“The Denver International Airport Conspiracy”).    

The first controversy connects the DIA with Germany.  From an aerial view, the airport and its six runways resemble a modified Nazi German swastika; was this layout created on purpose, or just a mere accident (“Denver International Airport Conspiracy Theories”)?  A lot of planning, money, and time went into the construction of the DIA (“5 Weird Conspiracy Theories Surrounding the Denver International Airport”).  The runways of Colorado’s first municipal airport, built in 1929, Stapleton, were deemed too close together and simply “not smartly laid out”, thus creating danger for landing in bad weather and leading to delays (1).  With the construction, the DIA doesn’t have the same issues; but its runways resemble a swastika from the air. 

Merely analyzing the view of the airport doesn’t leave one too suspicious, for it could be a simple mistake, but connecting the dots with the other suspicious happenings in the airport leads one to find that the Nazi German swastika could be a symbol of something more.  The swastika symbolizes a dark time in history for everyone around the world, whether most sympathize or empathize, some connotation occurs when the topic of the Holocaust arises.  During WWII, Hitler worked to create a “super race” in which he attempted to exterminate the Jewish race along with many other groups that didn’t fit into his perfect world.  Conspiracy theorists believe that the Denver International Airport is a part of a “New World Order”, in which people will go for a hideout or safe haven when the world begins to fall apart—it is said that the swastika is a symbol of just that (1).           The next questionable find connected to the DIA is its overall spending and delay.  The DIA is the largest airport in North America and the second largest airport in the world, spreading over 53 square miles of land (“Planning the Future: Master Plan”).  It is considered to be “the most important economic regime” of Colorado (1).  It opened on February 28, 1995, after numerous setbacks and delays (“Denver International Airport Conspiracy Theories”).  The airport was created with high hopes and large goals; although, throughout all of its success, many cannot disregard the delay that was exceeded more than a year behind schedule.  What was the cause of such delay?  Many setbacks including the failure of a complex baggage system led to alternate production. 

After the airport opened, the public became aware that along with its excessive delay, the DIA’s approximately billion dollar budget was surpassed by an additional two billion dollars (“5 Weird Conspiracy Theories Surrounding the Denver International Airport”).  The highly regarded baggage system was supposed to create leaps in airport history, but was too easily given up on when it failed.  Many conspiracy theorists believe that the baggage system proved as a cover up.  Its underground tunnels were left abandoned; their sheer size hard to fathom.  Evidence shows that the large bunkers under the airport are left empty and that only supervised officers are allowed to enter underneath the airport.  Why go through the trouble to create a system and then give up when it doesn’t cooperate?  It is highly speculated that the Denver International Airport is a part of the new world order and that only the elites will be able to take refuge in the bunkers during the destruction of the world as we know it (“Denver International Airport conspiracies revealed as ‘true’”).  The budget, delays, and mysterious, empty bunkers all point to an alternate alternative, yet the DIA states otherwise.       

Leaving the Denver International Airport, tourists cannot help but to acknowledge the enormous blue bronco called Bluecifer; leading to the third conspiracy theory concerning the DIA (“Sinister Sites – The Denver International Airport”).  The large blue horse initially appears to be a symbol of the famous Denver Broncos, but further consideration leads many tourists to believe that the glowing red eyes and history of death is a symbol of an oncoming apocalypse (1). 

The horse killed its creator, Luis Jimenez, while he was finishing up the sculpture.  One night while working on the horse, its head came loose and fell on Jimenez, thus severing an artery in his leg and leading to his death (1).  Although the sculpture has a questionable past, its spot on DIA was still filled.  Theorists say that the horse is cursed; according to the Bible, DIA’s Bluecifer connects with the fourth horse in the book of the Revelation in the Bible and is fittingly called “Death” (1).  Some say it is connected to the “Pale horse of the Apocalypse” (1). Revelation 6:7-8 states:  “And I looked, and behold a pale horse; and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth” (1). 

Why was the horse still put up on the airport’s grounds considering its past? And what is the reasoning behind a blue horse with red eyes greeting everyone who visits and leaves DIA?  Was this sculpture merely a representation of a sports team, or meant to be something deeper?  That same question pops up a lot with subjects connected to the DIA—many say it’s simply by chance, but others believe it’s much, much more.    

Lastly, conspiracy theories regarding the paintings and artwork of the Denver International Airport catch many tourists’ eyes, not because of their vibrant colors, but due to their unusual nature…especially in an airport.  Paintings throughout the DIA show children from all over the world alongside rainbows, swords, blood, death, and gas masks (“Sinister Sites–The Denver International Airport”).  Why would these violent images be represented in such a public place?  These sensitive topics are not taken lightly by people.  The artist of such paintings, Leo Tanguma, states that they show hardship and human liberation (“Christian Social Network”).  Many theorists believe that the paintings have connection to Nazi Germany with depictions of a dominant man in a gas mask above children and people dying (“Sinister Sites–The Denver International Airport”).  A larger idea connected to the paintings includes a new world order and a struggle for world peace.  It’s interesting how all of these conspiracy theories connect, isn’t it?

It’s easy to disregard skepticism and believe what you are told.  The DIA states they are open about their history and facility, yet there are countless questions left unanswered, or better yet, with answers that contain loop holes.  It’s intriguing to ponder about each of the theories, but its mind blowing to picture how each connects with the other.  There are many questions in the world in which are meant to never be answered—are these conspiracy theories apart of it?  We will find out one day, but until then we can continue to search through the evidence in order to put our restless minds to ease.   

The Denver International Airport is clearly a sight for numerous tourists and with people come their wondering bodies and beaming eyes.  It is very possible for each conspiracy theory connected with the airport to be a mere coincidence.  The airport’s runways could have been designed solely for production and capability, its budget could have been overdone by its many difficulties faced when building the structure, while its baggage system may have been given up on because they has no more money to put into it, Bluecifer can just be a symbol for the people of Denver, and the paintings of the DIA could simply be an attempt to depict a new and better world.  Although, as the saying goes, nothing is ever as it seems.       

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