I See What You Mean (Big Blue Bear) by Lawrence Argent, Denver, Colorado

Artwork FileDenver · USA

StandingSep 2026

• #LawrenceArgent
• #BigBlueBear
• #Denver
• #PublicSculpture

A newspaper photograph of a real bear looking through a window gave Lawrence Argent his starting point. His forty-foot version arrived outside Denver’s convention center in 2005. Behind its faceted surface are six composite sections, an internal steel support and a carefully negotiated gap from the glass.

Introduction: Visit Denver — artist interview, Denver Public Art, Kreysler & Associates and IACMI — fabricator interview. Checked The September 2026 status is a dated city reference, not a new inspection.

💡 6 things to know

1. The first bear was in the newspaperArgent said a photograph of a black bear peering into someone’s window stayed with him. He connected that curiosity to his own experience of passing a convention without knowing what was happening inside. Visit Denver — artist interview Checked
2. Blue was not the original planArgent initially imagined sandstone and other regional colors. A design printout came back blue unexpectedly, and he preferred it. The accidental color became the finished work’s defining feature. Visit Denver — artist interview Checked
3. A small model became six large sectionsKreysler & Associates digitally enlarged a scanned model. Computer-controlled machines cut disposable foam molds; those molds produced the fiber-reinforced polymer panels assembled into six sections. The California-made sections traveled to Denver for installation. Kreysler & Associates · IACMI — fabricator interview Checked
4. The bear cannot lean on the buildingKreysler’s project record describes an internal steel armature that limits movement in extreme winds. Although the pose suggests contact, Bill Kreysler told IACMI the bear had to remain clear of the glass. Kreysler & Associates · IACMI — fabricator interview Checked
5. A window cleaner helped settle the gapIn his 2026 interview, Kreysler recalled months of engineering debate over a twelve- or eighteen-inch clearance. A maintenance worker’s need to wash the windows helped resolve it. The interview does not specify the final distance. IACMI — fabricator interview Reported
6. A repaint was planned for 2026Denver Public Art’s April roundup announced a forthcoming bid process for cleaning, repairs and repainting later that year. This documents a plan; completion had not been established by the sources checked for this file. Denver Public Art — April 2026 Checked

📍 Check-in guide

🗓️ Sightings

1. 2005Year

   Installed — city record

2. 20169 Jul

   Dated Highsmith photograph

3. 20266 Apr

   Fabricator interview published

4. 2026Apr

   City announces restoration plan

5. 202617 Sep

   Mentioned in city bulletin

The 2016 stamp is the photograph’s cataloged creation date; the Library of Congress says its date came from photographer Carol M. Highsmith. The 2026 stamps record publications. September’s city wildlife bulletin mentions the blue bear at the convention center but provides neither a fresh sculpture photograph nor a condition assessment. April’s restoration announcement is not proof of completed work. Our archive photo has no recorded camera date.

📰 On the record

✅ The facts

Title / artist

I See What You Mean, by Lawrence Argent; widely called the Big Blue Bear. (Denver Public Art) Checked

Installed

2005. (Denver Public Art · University of Denver) Checked

Height

40 feet, approximately 12.2 meters. (University of Denver) Checked

Materials

Steel, polymers and concrete; the fabricator specifies a fiber-reinforced polymer shell and partial steel armature. (Denver Public Art · Kreysler & Associates) Checked

Fabrication

Kreysler & Associates, California; six major sections. (Kreysler & Associates) Checked

Commission

City of Denver, listed as the fabricator’s client. (Kreysler & Associates) Checked

Status

Standing, reported September 2026. The city’s bulletin references it in place; this is not an inspection. (City of Denver / PublicNow) Reported

Restoration

Cleaning, repairs and repainting announced in April 2026; completion unconfirmed. (Denver Public Art — April 2026) Unconfirmed

Our photo

Published by Street Art Utopia on 5 September 2026. Photographer and capture date are absent from the source post and attachment metadata. Unconfirmed

🔗 Related

• The original collection: 25 Extraordinary Sculptures.
• The University of Denver’s 2016 profile connects the bear with Argent’s later rabbit, panda and Venus sculptures.
• More large-scale animal sculpture: The Kelpies by Andy Scott.

Artwork File · Last checked 13 October 2026 · Certainty labels follow How We Verify Art · All Artwork Files