'The Art of Old Signs' exhibit currently displayed at DIA

When walking through Concourse A at Denver International Airport, you might notice a new art exhibit hanging from the walls.

The 'The Art of Old Signs' exhibit contains illustrations of historic neon signs lining the halls throughout the Y-Juncture of Concourse A, just beyond bridge security at Denver International Airport (DEN).

The display is by artist Austin Baskett, his first exhibition. Over the past 10 years, Baskett has traveled the state drawing these iconic relics to help preserve their beauty and to share their stories with others.

Baskett is a graduate of the University of South Carolina. He started his career in graphic design and has been an illustrator for 30 years. His career path took him into creative management, marketing, and operations in the beauty industry. He moved to Colorado with his wife in 1993 and now splits his time between Lafayette and Salida.

The 25 illustrations reproduced for the exhibit on canvas represent a bygone era of commercial signage. All but four signs are from Colorado, with many from the Denver area. Despite the constant threat of development, many of the signs illustrated still exist.

The mission of DEN Arts is to engage, educate and entertain the public audience. Both the public artworks and temporary exhibitions aim to connect a local and global audience to the environment and culture of the vibrant City of Denver and the unique State of Colorado. For more information, visit www.flydenver.com/art.

The exhibit will be on display until late June 2023.