DENVER -- Call it guerrilla art with a baby face.
For months, small baby doll faces have been creeping up across Denver and creeping out many people who see them.
From South Broadway to Cherry Creek and many places in between, the hard, 3-D faces have been posted on curbs, medians and buildings. Many of them have been photographed, yet many often go overlooked.
“I’ve seen one over at Capitol Hill and another at Speer and Downing at the bridge,” Elaine Wahlquist told KDVR. “I’ve commented to my husband, ‘Look at those.’ But he never seems to notice them.”
Most of the faces are pink and less than 6 inches long, but there are other sizes and colors. Some have also been torn down or broken in recent months.
Several pink faces were plastered below a sign for Strictly Nails Salon at Downing Street and Alameda Avenue, but owner Pam Schwasinger had overlooked them until they were pointed out.
“I don’t know. I think they’re … they’re a little disturbing,” Schwasinger said.
But not everyone is disturbed.
“We thought it was cool so we left it up,” said Joseph Ramirez, owner of Mutiny Information Cafe on South Broadway.
Ramirez said the faces first appeared last summer, but he said he and the other owners have no idea who is behind them.
“I remember we were all texting each other, sending each other pictures like, ‘Who is this? Who did this?’” Ramirez said.
Several artists said they know the man behind the faces, but he is not taking credit or commenting on the meaning of the work.
“Somebody who likes baby dolls?” Schwasinger said. “I do not know.”
“Not even going to speculate,” Ramirez said. “It’s art for arts sake. I don’t know.”
Maybe that’s the point.
“It keeps the conversation going. I mean that’s good art isn’t it?” Ramirez said. “Right on. Keep doing it. Whoever you are.”
