The Houston Airport System has unveiled a site-specific large-scale glass installation by Dale Chihuly at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH).
Dale Chihuly, “Coastal Prairie Fiori,” 2024. Courtesy of Houston Airports. © Chihuly Studio
The commissioned piece, Coastal Prairie Fiori, is the newest addition to the Houston Airport System’s Public Art Program and is Mr. Chihuly’s largest airport installation to date. The 80-foot-long, 20-foot-wide, and 20-foot-deep work is inspired by native flora from the Gulf Coast region and is composed of 537 unique hand-blown glass pieces ranging from 14 to 28 inches in diameter. The pieces are arranged on five armatures, which are suspended over a TSA screening area within the new International Central Processor, a central hub designed to provide better passenger flow and international processing.
In a press release, Jim Szczesniak, the Houston Airports Director of Aviation, remarked, “The installation of Coastal Prairie Fiori represents our commitment to enhancing the international passenger experience through art that captures Houston’s natural beauty and cultural vibrancy. As a key part of our larger IAH Terminal Redevelopment Program, the new International Central Processor provides an ideal space to showcase this impressive installation, which we hope will inspire and captivate travelers from around the world.”
Dale Chihuly, “Coastal Prairie Fiori,” 2024. Courtesy of Houston Airports. © Chihuly Studio
Mr. Chihuly stated, “The way an installation interacts with a space — its light, dimensions, energy — is important to me as an artist. The relationship between art and its environment is key. Coastal Prairie Fiori embodies that relationship; its hundreds of elements, which combined with the natural light that pours in through Bush Airport’s atrium, transform the space. The way this shifting light interacts with the glass is incredibly dynamic.”
Learn more about the Houston Airport System’s Public Art Program via its website.
