Art is playing a big role at Miami International (MIA) in two ways: an international award and new installations.
“Harmonic Convergence,” a public art mural by Boston, Mass.-based architect Christopher Janney, has won the Interior Division category of the 2012 Solutia World of Color Awards.
The mural, at the opening of the MIA people mover system, features a 72-foot-long window wall with diamond-shaped panes of colored glass in front of a white structural steel X-bracing frame. It has more than 150 transparent colors, which make up a gradually changing pattern similar to a rainbow. As travelers enter the “Harmonic Convergence” area, they hear sounds Janney recorded during trips to the Florida Everglades, scuba dives in the ocean and other natural environments of South Florida. Two video cameras in the ceiling feed information to the computer about the pedestrian activity within the space, which therefore influences the density of the sound score. At the top of each hour, a short
For the awards, an international jury of five industry professionals from Bangkok, Thailand; Sao Paulo, Brazil; London, England; Chicago, Ill.; and Hong Kong, China, chose “Harmonic Convergence” for its use of Vanceva laminated color glass products, which are manufactured by Solutia Inc. The annual international awards program lauds architects, interior designers, glass fabricators, furniture designers, glazing contractors and engineers, as well as other industry professionals, for their design use of colored laminated safety glass in building design and interior spaces around the world.
According to Solutia, “Sunlight, sound, and color unite spectacularly in this multi-faceted mural in South Florida. Winner of the 2012 World of Color Awards Interior Division, ‘Harmonic Convergence’ provides a unique ‘immersive color experience’ for travelers. While speakers at either end of the walkway resonate with recordings of tropical birds and thunderstorms, sunlight streams through a wall of laminated glass panels encompassing the entire color spectrum.”
A new set of installations also have arrived at MIA.
“Air Chair,” which floats above passengers near the North Terminal’s Gate D-14, is made up of discarded wheelchair and steel and wood materials. It was inspired by men who use wheelchairs whom artist Paul Villinski would see during his jogs near two Veteran Affairs hospitals. Villinski is a sculptor and paraglider pilot and wanted to contrast the image of the wheelchair limitations with the freedom of flight.
Passengers going to and from the Concourse D skytrain Station 1 see Roberto Juarez’ “MIA Flower Fence,” a painted mural that juxtaposes botanical-style renderings of Florida wildflowers with patchwork designs of Florida’s Miccosukee Tribe of Indians.
“Hortensia” greets travelers at the exit doors between the South Terminal international greeters’ lobby and the Flamingo parking garage. It comprises two kaleidoscopic mixed-media murals by local artist Aramis O’Reilly.
