×
HOME, Matthew Mazzotta, 2022
SERVICES PROVIDED: Project consultant for budgeting, engineering oversight, fabrication means and methods, and installation.
For the Central Terminal of the Tampa International Airport artist Matthew Mazzotta has designed a massive flamingo that appears to be dipping its head under the surface through the wave-like ceiling tiles. This site-specific installation speaks to the idea of home while celebrating one of the most iconic animals of Florida, the flamingo. For years this beautiful bird was thought to be non-native, however recent research has changed the story of the flamingo’s home, tracing its roots to Florida and causing excitement among researchers and residents alike.
The immersive scale of this work gives travelers from all over the world the time and space to take a deeper look at the bird whose image is found all over Florida. However, this artwork at its core is about the story of home, not about whether someone or something is originally from here or not. In Mazzotta’s words, “The exaggerated scale of the flamingo in HOME puts the lives of these birds in the focus, and puts us, as humans, in awe as they tower above us, reminding us that we all share the same home.”
Fabrication images courtesy of FAST CORP. Digital renderings and installation images courtesy of Matthew Mazzotta. Select images courtesy of Chad Baumer.
