Einstein BenchVail Village: how to find it
Gary Lee Price's bronze of Albert Einstein seated on a bench. Vail Daily reported in 2014 that it stands in front of the Sitzmark on Gore Creek Drive, and that Sitzmark Vail donated it to the town's Art in Public Places collection.
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What you'll see
A bronze Albert Einstein on a bench. Discover Vail tells visitors to take a seat with him. Vail Daily, published October 9, 2014, calls the work "Einstein" by Gary Lee Price and says it is part of his Great Contributors Series. Discover Vail names other works in that series around the country, including Abraham Lincoln, Amelia Earhart, Harriet Tubman, George Washington, Joan of Arc, Claude Monet, and Mark Twain.
Price's studio page for Einstein dates the bronze editions to 2005. The larger bronze is listed at 52 inches high, 70 inches wide, and 60 inches deep. The same page also lists an 18-inch bronze. Neither Vail Daily nor Discover Vail says which of those editions is the cast on Gore Creek Drive.
On the studio page, Price writes that the figure "sits relaxed in the park" and that he wanted an approachable, inviting, "come have a chat with a genius" gesture. He cites the line "Imagination is more important than knowledge." Vail Daily quotes him on Einstein's hair, facial features, and casual attire, and on Einstein's efforts toward peace and understanding.
The donor
Bob Fritch of Sitzmark Vail told Vail Daily the sculpture was put in front of the hotel and became popular. Helen and Bob Fritch donated it to the town collection.
The artist
Vail Daily says Price graduated from the University of Utah in 1981 in painting and drawing, joined the National Sculpture Society ten years later, and received Utah's Governor's Mansion Artist Award in 2001.
The collection
Both Vail Daily and Discover Vail say Art in Public Places holds more than 40 works, from sculptures and murals to playground pieces and site-integrated art.
Visiting tips
- Start at the Sitzmark. Use 183 Gore Creek Drive. Vail Daily's 2014 account places the bench in front of the hotel, and the coordinator then said the plan was to leave it there.
- The bench is the point. Discover Vail invites you to sit. The sources do not list a ticket.
- It is a photographed stop in those write-ups. Both Vail Daily and Discover Vail call it one of the most photographed sculptures in Vail. They do not give a count.
- No hours are printed for the sculpture. It is described as outdoor public art on Gore Creek Drive. These pages do not say it is staffed or open on a clock.
Einstein Bench FAQ
Where is the Einstein bench in Vail?
In front of the Sitzmark on Gore Creek Drive, in Vail Village. Vail Daily, on October 9, 2014, said the sculpture had stood there for many years and that the town's plan was to leave it there. The hotel publishes its address as 183 Gore Creek Drive, Vail, Colorado 81657. The map uses the OpenStreetMap pin for that hotel, 39.640891, -106.375169.
Who made the Einstein bench, and what is it made of?
Gary Lee Price. Vail Daily and Discover Vail call it a bronze sculpture titled Einstein, from his Great Contributors series. His studio dates the bronze editions to 2005 and lists a 52-inch bronze at 52 by 70 by 60 inches. Those pages do not say which edition is the Vail cast.
Can you sit beside the sculpture?
Discover Vail says to take a seat with him on the park bench. Price wrote that he wanted an approachable, inviting, come-have-a-chat-with-a-genius gesture, and that the figure sits relaxed in the park.
Who owns the Einstein bench now?
Vail Daily reported on October 9, 2014 that Sitzmark Vail, through Bob and Helen Fritch, donated the sculpture to the Town of Vail's Art in Public Places collection. Coordinator Molly Eppard said that, unless something unforeseen happened, it would stay where it had been. Discover Vail still lists it in that collection.
What did the artist say inspired the piece?
Price told Vail Daily that a line he favors is Imagination is more important than knowledge, and that he was drawn to Einstein's hair, facial features, and casual attire. He also said he was impressed by Einstein's efforts toward peace and understanding. Discover Vail repeats that account.
Sources
- Vail Daily, "What's the future for 'Einstein'?", October 9, 2014. Donation by Sitzmark Vail through Bob and Helen Fritch, artist Gary Lee Price, the Great Contributors series, and the plan to leave the bench in front of the hotel. That article describes the collection as more than 40 works.
- Discover Vail, "The Stories of Vail — Einstein Bench". Bronze bench in Art in Public Places, with an invitation to sit. That page also says the collection contains more than 40 works.
- Discover Vail, "Vail's Art in Public Places". A separate tourism page. It says the program includes more than 70 pieces and names a bronze Albert Einstein on a bench.
- Gary Lee Price, Einstein studio page. 2005 bronze editions, 52 inches and 18 inches. It does not say which edition is the cast on Gore Creek Drive.
- Sitzmark Vail, contact page. Hotel address, 183 Gore Creek Drive, Vail, Colorado 81657.
- OpenStreetMap, Sitzmark Lodge, way 224523074. Hotel pin 39.640891, -106.375169.
Last updated .
Cite or link to this guide
If you mention this guide, link to https://testedprofit.com/pages/albert-einstein-statue-vail-co/. For the 2014 donation, cite Vail Daily.