The memorial, named “Ascentiate” by its artist creator, is located inside the city of Aurora Water-wise Reflection Garden at the southeast corner (East Alameda Parkway and South Chambers Road) of the Aurora Municipal Center campus, 15151 E. Alameda Parkway.
The memorial, to be dedicated July 27th, 6:30 PM, honors the 13 lives taken, 70 wounded and many lives that were changed on the night of July 20, 2012. Together with the surrounding garden, the artwork creates a beautiful reflective space that is open to all. Kentucky artist Douwe Blumberg designed, created and installed “Ascentiate,” a sculptural composition of 83 caste aluminum cranes. Seventy white cranes representing those injured in the shooting converge from all sides and then begin to rise upward. Then the 13 uppermost cranes with translucent wings that glow in the sunlight continue to rise upwards, representing those that perished. All of the cranes were cast with a hollow interior compartment, and each of these compartments have been filled with a canister containing meaningful words, objects and mementos. The sculpture is about 18 feet tall. Blumberg was selected by the 7/20 Memorial Foundation from more than 160 artists nationwide who applied for the project.
The 7/20 Memorial Foundation is an independent nonprofit with which the city of Aurora has supported and worked closely.