INDIANAPOLIS – The Indianapolis International Airport (IND) is now home to the largest art installation of its kind in the nation. Airport officials, arts partners, and community members gathered today to dedicate the new Transitions three-dimensional mural, made up of more than 300,000 colorful recyclable cups and extending more than 14,000 square feet.
“We’re serious about our commitment to public art and local artists, and today’s dedication is a big demonstration that we mean what we say,” said Indianapolis Airport Authority Executive Director Mario Rodriguez. “This is the largest outdoor art exhibit of its kind in the United States, showcasing the tremendous talent and perspective of this local artist and matching the high standards of our existing arts and culture programming, which is one of the finest of any airport of our size in the nation.”
The Transitions installation is the creative genius of Indianapolis artist Jackie Head, who was selected from among 29 artists who submitted proposals to build a three-dimensional outdoor mural that obscures the $190 million runway reconstruction project currently underway at the Indy airport. Head used hundreds of thousands of Put-In-Cups that fasten to chain link fencing to create the massive mural.
“This artwork is made from a recyclable plastic product normally used for school spirit displays, proving that anything in the hands of an artist can become art,” said Julia Muney Moore, Indy Arts Council’s director of public art. “The project shows how art, and the meaningful stories that it tells, can immediately connect visitors to our city’s personality and history. It’s a highly appreciated investment by the airport in both their landscape and the artist.”
The IAA works in partnership with the Indy Arts Council to showcase a full range of Indiana-based artists and their artwork at the Indy airport. A panel of representatives from both organizations selected the Head to create the mural.
Head said the inspiration for the mural design came from a profound travel memory having grown up in Indianapolis.
“The biggest jumping-off point for the inspiration was the rainbow carpet that the old airport terminal had near its entrance in the 90s,” said Head. “I still remember it today, and it brought a lot of joy and wonder to my visits to the airport as a kid. It was a very interactive experience I looked forward to every time we traveled to the airport, and with this design, I am hoping to create a similar experience for viewers.”
The mural will be on display for at least three years, and the Put-In Cups are recyclable or reusable afterward.
The Transitions art installation is another big addition to large-scale art exhibits displayed at the Indy airport in recent years, including the Madam Walker Legacy mural, the Major Taylor Legacy mural, and the Swish murals covering construction walls unveiled during NCAA March Madness.
In addition to the Transitions mural, the IND Arts & Culture Program also features more than 22 art exhibits currently on temporary display at the Indy airport, including The Bigger Picture: Film in Indiana exhibit (KIND Gallery), What Happens After (Sensory Rooms on Concourses A and B), Finding Joy (Concourse Connector), Returning (Baggage Claim escalators), TomorrowScope (North Garden), vinyl murals covering construction walls and more. Additional experiences in the terminal highlight the vibrant music and literature scene in Indianapolis.
