We Went INSIDE the DIA Conspiracy Tunnels with Artist DETOUR (Thomas Evans)

Denver-based artist Thomas Evans, aka Detour, joins the Robertson Stash Podcast for a deep dive into the business of art, his iconic public installations, and what he saw behind the curtain at the Denver International Airport (DIA).

Detour walks us through the enormous logistical and creative challenge of creating his viral DIA luggage sculpture, "It's not what you take, it's what You Bring back," which utilized 183 upcycled suitcases donated by the Colorado community.

He details the complex world of public art, from fire safety codes and budget overruns to working around TSA security. Plus, Detour shares what it was like to go inside the infamous DIA tunnels and reveals the surprising things being moved around the airport. We also cover his journey from business student to world-renowned artist, the importance of entrepreneurship, and how he used ChatGPT to fight for better art contracts.

 

Chapter Markers:

0:00:00 Intro & Sponsor Shout-outs (WNC, CBD, Puffco)

0:03:00 Welcome: Thomas Evans, aka Detour

0:06:00 The DIA Luggage Sculpture: Concept & Title

0:12:00 The Business of Public Art: Budgets, Exposure, & Shortlists 0:20:00 183 Upcycled Bags: How the Community Built the Piece

0:28:00 The Artistry: Sunrise/Sunset Colors & Mobius Shape

0:33:00 The Hardest Environment: Working Around TSA & Fire Codes 0:41:00 DIA’s Apocalyptic Art & Why the Floor Tiles are Cracked

0:46:00 Inside the Tunnels: Baggage Systems & Moving Caskets

0:56:00 The 1% Ordinance: How Public Art is Funded in New Construction

1:02:00 Detour's Journey: From Ohio & Germany to Denver

1:12:00 Teaching Entrepreneurship in Tanzania

1:22:00 US vs. The World: Critical Thinking vs. Rote Memorization

1:27:00 The Exposure Game: Painting for Netflix (Jay-Z/Letterman) 1:37:00 Licensing, Copyrights, & Using ChatGPT for Legal Contracts 1:47:00 The Challenge of Influencers, AI, and Copying Your Work

1:57:00 Forgeries & Intellectual Property: Raising the Bar

2:07:00 Sponsor Break / Dab Time

2:12:00 Wacky Art Inventions: The Hand-Cranked Treadmill Canvas 2:22:00 Designing the Next Piece: The Glass Time Capsule Proposal 2:32:00 The Importance of Authenticity & Final Thoughts

2:42:00 Outro & Final Sponsor Mentions

 

This episode is powered by WNC CBD and Puffco. A special thanks to WNC CBD for providing the fresh-pressed cold cure live rosin for the episode. You can get 25% off your order with code STASH25. SPONSORS:

World Need Cannabis 

Mycolove Farm 

Puffco 

Full Canopy Genetics

 

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