The bronze age: Alamosa Park gets new public art piece 'Stalking Her Prey' after relocation of 'Star Chair'

Public art is a way for the community at large to enjoy works of art.

Nearly 10 years ago, the city of Albuquerque’s Public Art Program developed a plan to put one sculpture in every City Council district.

In District 3, which covers the southwestern part of the city, “Star Chair” by David Wagner was installed at Alamosa Park in 2014.

In recent weeks, the city replaced “Star Chair” with a new piece, “Stalking Her Prey,” by Reynaldo “Sonny” Rivera.

“Stalking Her Prey” is a 3-foot-tall bronze mountain lion — a species often seen along the Rio Grande. Rivera added a six-foot pedestal for the sculpture to give it some height.

According to Sherri Brueggemann, Public Art Urban Enhancement Division manager, the replacement was to preserve “Stair Chair.”

The sculpture reflects the fascination with stars and sky.

Wagner was inspired by ancient pictographs found on rock walls in Chaco Canyon.

The metal and glass piece was created to watch the moon rise over the park and to remind viewers that the sky begins at our feet.

“It’s fused glass and it is beautiful,” Brueggemann said. “The community loved it.”

Because the glass is vulnerable and the city had already replaced it for the third time, the city worked with the family and community services to move it to the Westgate Community Center.

“It will have more eyes on it,” Brueggemann said. “We’ll also be able to keep it intact a lot longer than it being out in the elements.”

Brueggemann said before any of this took place, the city notified the Alamosa Neighborhood Association, or ANA, about its plans.

The association then issued the call for artists.

“They were looking for a piece that represented the Southwest Mesa and they wanted to keep it as a New Mexico-based artist,” Brueggemann said. “Throughout the process, they picked the piece by Sonny Rivera.”

Two members of the ANA — Jeanette Baca and Johnny Peña — participated on the selection committee in May 2023 to decide which sculptures would be considered. “Stalking Her Prey” was chosen from among several other submissions.

“This sculpture by Sonny Rivera is a glowing symbol of our commitment to the beautification of the Southwest Mesa,” said Baca, Alamosa Neighborhood Association president. “The artwork’s installation is a result of the collaborative efforts of the city and ANA.”

Peña continued, “Sonny Rivera’s work is unique and can be seen around the state, here in Albuquerque and beyond.”

Rivera gets his inspiration from his travels around the world.

The idea of a mountain lion came from a visit to Golden Gate Park in San Francisco more than 30 years ago.

“The image has been in my mind for so long,” Rivera said. “I always knew I would do something with the image when the time was right.”

Rivera began working on the piece well before the call for artists was announced by the Alamosa Neighborhood Association.

He didn’t know if it would fit the call because they wanted it to be around nine or 10 feet tall.

It was at that moment, Rivera decided to take a trip to Tijeras Canyon to find inspiration for the base.

“The whole mountainside is full of rocks and stones,” Rivera said. “This is where I knew that the base had to be rock like.”

District 3 Councilor Klarissa Peña said the Alamosa Neighborhood Association waited for over a year for the process to be complete.

“The ANA is one of the most active neighborhood associations in our city,” Peña said. “The community’s enthusiasm and dedication are captured in ‘Stalking Her Prey.’ ”

The bronze age: Alamosa Park gets new public art piece 'Stalking Her Prey' after relocation of 'Star Chair'