Denver’s newest public artwork is impossible to miss.
Look up along the Welton and Tremont sides of Denver Pavilions and you’ll see a massive new burst of color transforming one of downtown Denver’s most recognizable buildings.
Created by Denver artist Olive Moya, Always Never Different, Never Always the Same stretches across 47,000 square feet of exterior wall space, rising as high as 97 feet. The work — roughly the size of 10 basketball courts — is now Moya’s largest project to date and one of the largest murals in Colorado.
For six weeks, Moya and her six-person team worked to bring the enormous piece from a small-scale concept to one of the most visible works of public art in the city.
A Small Sketch on a Massive Scale
The mural began on a piece of paper.
From there, the challenge was translating Moya’s colorful, abstract design onto tens of thousands of square feet of brick. After the previous exterior vinyl display was removed, the walls were mapped with grid points and preliminary sketches to guide the team as they brought the artwork to life.
Beginning July 13, the crew worked long days — up to 12 hours a day, seven days a week — painting the mural across both sides of the building.
“It feels kind of unreal, actually, that it’s finally done,” Moya said after the completion of the project. “The team worked so, so hard.”
For the artist, the final result represents more than the sheer scale of the work. Seeing the entire piece completed as she envisioned — after weeks of logistics, preparation and painting — was an emotional moment.
A Mural About Change
The title Always Never Different, Never Always the Same reflects one of the ideas Moya explored while developing the work: change is inevitable.
Moya considered the history of the site and the many ways the area has transformed over time — from the land’s earlier history to the creation of the Pavilions and its latest chapter of reinvention. Her signature geometric shapes and evolving forms mirror that idea.
“I was thinking a lot about what this place means to people, what it meant to people,” Moya said. “Things changed from there, and changed again and changed again.”
The theme feels especially fitting for the location. Denver Pavilions is currently undergoing a period of change as the Downtown Denver Development Authority works to refresh and reposition the two-block property as part of the evolution of Upper Downtown.
The previous vinyl installation, which had featured the late artist Clyfford Still since 2011, was removed earlier this year to make way for the mural.
A New Landmark for Downtown Denver
The mural is part of a broader effort to invest in Denver Pavilions. The Downtown Denver Development Authority purchased the property and nearby lots in late 2025 and has begun a larger capital improvement program that includes parking garage repairs, roof work, updated signage and improvements to the center’s escalators.
Visitors will also notice changes to parking, including technology that allows drivers to enter and pay using license plate recognition and QR codes.
While future redevelopment plans for the property continue to take shape, the mural offers something immediate: a dramatic new visual landmark in the center of downtown.
And unlike an installation hidden inside a museum, this one is part of the everyday Denver experience. People walking through the area, heading to dinner, catching a movie or traveling through downtown can experience it from the street.
Meet the Artist Behind the Mural
A graduate of Otis College of Art and Design, Moya is known for her vibrant abstract work and geometric visual language. Her projects can already be found throughout the Denver metro area, including in RiNo, Baker, Cherry Creek, Englewood, Broomfield and Wheat Ridge.
She has also created installations for institutions including the Denver Art Museum and the Museum of Outdoor Arts.
But Always Never Different, Never Always the Same marks a new milestone.
At 47,000 square feet, it is the largest project of Moya’s career — turning a familiar stretch of downtown brick into a colorful statement about evolution, transformation and what comes next.
For a property preparing for its next chapter, the message could not be more fitting.