Denver’s ‘Fry Stack’ sculpture inspires French fry-eating contest

<p>(Corey H. Jones/CPR News)</p>
<p>Mexico City artist Cristobal Gracia stands in front of Herbert Bayer&#039;s 1986 “Articulated Wall” sculpture in Denver.</p>
Photo: Cristobal Gracia in Denver 6
Mexico City artist Cristobal Gracia stands in front of Herbert Bayer's 1986 "Articulated Wall" sculpture in Denver.

Forget the popcorn, you'll want to bring ketchup to this spectacle.

Up to 10 people will compete in a public French fry-eating contest in the Denver Design District parking lot on Wednesday at 4 p.m. The winner earns $200 and the chance to be memorialized in an exhibition during 2015 Biennial of the Americas.

Mexico City artist and Biennial ambassador Cristobal Gracia -- whose Denver residency concludes April 27 -- organized the event. Gracia's work in Denver focuses on Herbert Bayer's "Articulated Wall" sister sculptures in Mexico and Denver.

"People refer to it as the ‘Fry Stack,’” Gracia told CPR News earlier this year. “I'm really interested in how people adopt these kinds of monuments."

Gracia plans to film the contest -- which challenges participants to eat 3 pounds of French fries in 15 minutes -- and use footage in his work for an exhibition during the 2015 Biennial, which starts July 14.