The Prospector, Vinyl, Mixed Media, 2015

Project Details

A monument to hope, a beacon of progress, and a harbinger of the fragility of economic upturns,  I, Prospector’s proud stance echoes the confidence necessary to weather the risk inherent to creation. The character itself echoes the rich histories of westward expansion, manifest destiny, technology, and an era in storytelling ushered in by one of the great entrepreneurial minds of recent history. Each of which has been monumentally influential to the wealth and well being of Denverites the American public.

Motivated by the dream of a prosperous future, prospectors stake a claim and get to work. The process isn’t always pretty, and more lose than succeed. In the end, the bubble pops and many picks are retired. And while Stinky Pete lost prowess as a cultural icon (in the film’s fiction), the prospector behind him, and all those that came before, never lost sight of that more prosperous future.

Modern prospectors often wield keyboards, 3D printers, and engineering skills.

Only time will tell who wins and loses. One thing is consistent: in any upturn, the folks selling picks and shovels end up doing just fine.

Want to buy the collectible replica? Order your own Prospector Boxed Set from Black Cube.

Do you own a boxed set? Visit this page to download the files and print your own Prospector, or send it to a service bureau.

The Prospector was created for a pop-up exhibition at Black Cube nomadic museum in Denver, CO.
Black Cube is a nonprofit, nomadic contemporary art museum dedicated to commissioning and producing public art experiences to increase access to contemporary art and support artists towards sustainable careers. http://blackcubeart.org