Soul Connections

ARTIST: Victor Yepez

Price $12,000

Personal Statement

• Since immigrating to the U.S. in 1997, Victor Ramiro Yepez Garcia has worked as a sculptor, muralist, art teacher and public artist. “My art is inspired by everything around me, made with passion and love, limitless and indestructible. I love being an artist because it allows me to contribute to the beauty of cities and public spaces while enriching the lives of so many people. Through my work, I strive to create spaces that feel safe, welcoming, and healing. I also want to give the community a voice— an opportunity to express themselves and be heard through art. Seeing how art can inspire, connect, and transform a place is what makes this work so meaningful to me. My biggest inspirations come from my Ecuadorian heritage, the vibrancy of community life, and the power of public art to transform spaces. I am influenced by history, nature, music, and the stories of the people around me.” Victor Yepez is a sculptor, muralist, and public artist based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Originally from Quito, Ecuador, he studied sculpture and printmaking at the School of Fine Arts, Central University. His work is deeply rooted in community engagement, blending creativity with a message of sustainability, justice, and connection. Yepez specializes in transforming found objects and recycled materials—especially metal— into dynamic sculptures that celebrate movement, resilience, and imagination. His murals, known for their vibrant colors and storytelling, enliven public spaces with cultural expression and energy. As an artist and educator, he has introduced many people to the healing and transformative power of art through workshops, residencies, and collaborative projects. His work can be seen throughout the Twin Cities, from murals on Lake Street to sculptures on a variety of sculpture walks in the suburbs in MN, he also runs his own art studio at Solar Arts Building in NE. Minneapolis. Through his practice, Yepez continues to explore the intersections of art, urban landscapes, and environmental consciousness, using discarded materials to create beauty and inspire change.

Sculpture Statement

• This striking cobalt-blue horse sculpture is composed entirely of welded recycled metal parts—bicycle frames, pipes, rods, and chains—expertly bent and arranged to evoke the energy and elegance of a horse in motion. The minimalist, linear structure gives the figure both lightness and strength, with dynamic lines that suggest movement and grace even while standing still. The open framework invites viewers to see through the sculpture, allowing it to shift with its environment—whether surrounded by grass, sky, or urban textures. The mane and tail, made of dangling chains and curved metal strands, add both tactile detail and symbolic texture, evoking freedom, vitality, and endurance. This piece reflects themes of sustainability, transformation, and resilience. As with many of Yépez’s works, it honors the spirit of the horse as a timeless symbol of strength and liberation, while also embedding a message about reclaiming discarded materials and turning them into something powerful and poetic.
• The horse is a universal symbol of strength, movement, freedom, and companionship. In many cultures, the horse represents a bridge between worlds: physical and spiritual, human and nature. The inspiration for the name comes from not just a horse, but a network. Each line is like a connection: between people, experiences, places, and time. “Soul Connections” explores the invisible bonds that shape our existence. Inspired by the strength and grace of the horse, the sculpture transforms industrial materials into a living network of lines—each one representing a connection between people, places, and experiences. The open structure allows space and light to move through it, symbolizing the unseen energy that connects us all. In a fragmented urban world, this piece reminds us that we are not separate—we are part of an intricate, shared system of life, memory, and spirit.

• Dimensions: 77x36x90
• Weight: 100 lbs
• Materials: Welded metal with powder coating finishing in blue

The Delano Annual Sculpture Walk is made possible through the efforts and grants from: