The practical nature of most airports limits the amount of engagement they can enable, but the Jack Swigert Statue highlights what it can mean to enable connections with local legacies in Denver, Colorado. This simple statue has helped transform an area in a way that enables connections for those who are open to it without interfering with the practical needs of the terminal.
John L. “Jack” Swigert, Jr. was born in Denver in 1931 and would go on to become the command module pilot on the moon flight Apollo XIII. His calm and cool demeanor helped ensure everyone got home safely. He was elected to Congress in 1982 but died before assuming office.
A statue of Swigert was given to the National Statuary Hall Collection by Colorado in 1997. Sculpted by Mark Lundeen and George Lundeen, their efforts to “capture one moment in time and translate that moment into eternity” is reflected in the Jack Swigert Statue. The piece depicts him in his astronaut outfit while looking off into the horizon with the same calm and cool demeanor that led him to utter the famous “Houston, we have a problem” phrase.
Mentioned as Mark’s most notable work, the success of the piece compelled the creation of a copy that resides in the Denver Airport, where it showcases how something very simple can transform a practical space in a way that doesn’t take away from that necessary practicality. The impact of the original has shown how such pieces can make an impact in multiple locations.
The Jack Swigert Statue showcases what it can look like to further cement legacies that residents and visitors can newly discover in spaces that are otherwise common or unremarkable, providing audiences with additional means of connection that go beyond a given space.
