Renowned sculptor Cliff Garten brings his bold artistic vision to the heart of Denver with Taking Stock, a striking new bronze installation commissioned by the Denver Arts & Venues Public Art Program. The 20-foot-long sculpture, sited at the National Western Center (NWC) Main Campus Plaza, confronts and reimagines the iconography of the American West.
Situated on the historic grounds of the former Denver Stockyards, and the new home of the annual National Western Stock Show, Taking Stock anchors the Main Campus Plaza of the new campus, focused on sustainability and shared resources. At first glance, the sculpture offers the familiarity of a Western tableau: a cowgirl and a bull. But as viewers move through the space, the figures begin to transform. The rigid binaries of animal and human, male and female, past and present blur into one fluid and destabilizing form.
“I wanted to challenge the mythology of the West while still honoring its legacy,” says Garten. “That includes the Hollywood version, as well as the lived experience of men and women ranchers. The sculpture’s figuration becomes a point of transformation. It asks the viewer to engage with the complexity and evolving narratives of the place.”
Cast in patinated bronze and occupying the center of the National Western Center’s Main Campus Plaza, Taking Stock is equal parts monument and provocation. It invites interaction, offers cinematic sweep, and calls into question inherited visual tropes. At its core, it suggests a ‘heroic question’ rather than a simple heroic gesture.
“Cliff Garten’s Taking Stock brings a bold new vision to one of Denver’s most historic sites,” said Rudi Cerri, Denver Public Art Manager. “The sculpture honors the legacy of the Stockyards while challenging us to reflect on the evolving stories of the West. As part of Denver’s Public Art Collection, Taking Stock reflects the City’s ongoing investment in art as a vital public resource — inviting dialogue, connection, and a deeper understanding of the communities and histories that shape our city.”
Taking Stock, Denver’s newest public art commission by Cliff Garten, will be unveiled January 21, 2026, during the National Western Stock Show, with remarks from city officials and the artist, followed by a public toast honoring the installation.
PUBLIC VIEWING & DEDICATION: January 21, 2026 | 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM | The Legacy Building
