Tampa International Airport has announced plans to install a floor-to-ceiling, six-metre-tall pink flamingo in arrivals from November.
The hand-sculpted resin and fibreglass statue will show the bird, synonymous with Florida, dipping its head beneath the surface of the water.
The design, called Home, is one of seven new commissions approved by the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority Board, which considered 734 applicants from around the world.
Robin Nigh, Tampa’s manager of arts and cultural affairs, said, “The artwork should provide a visual respite; a sense of home for returning travellers and a sense of arrival for visitors.
“It is unique, quiet, beautiful, kitsch and fun all at once. Home will carry the meaning of what individuals bring to it, very much like one’s ‘real’ home.”
The installation will sit near the Shoppes at Bayshore precinct at arrivals and is described by the airport as an “iconic centrepiece” that will “transports viewers underwater”.
Airport chief executive Joe Lopano said, “We are more than a place that people simply pass through – we are the first and last impression of the Tampa Bay region.
“Public art is critical to creating a sense of place and leaving our guests with a unique and engaging experience.”
