Update on 10 commissioned art pieces | Artists encourage travelers to look up

November 28, 2022

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Clouds hang above passengers preparing to board flights out of Hobby Airport

Clouds hover over travelers as they wait for flights at William P. Hobby Airport.

A massive art piece extends across a seating area of William P. Hobby Airport.

Light catches the reflective jewels embedded in a wing outside TSA security at William P. Hobby Airport.

With holiday travel in full swing, Texas artists are putting the finishing touches on their latest works of art. A total of 10 pieces, from sculptures to murals, will soon be on display at George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport. Each piece is a celebration of the resilience, patience and hope Texans needed to endure the last two years.

The artwork was commissioned by the City of Houston in 2022 as a way to help and support the state’s art community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

True to Texas, the pieces are big! The largest work of art stretches 240 feet long and 10 feet high. The smallest piece stands 17 feet tall and is 8 feet wide. Some pieces transport the viewer into the Gulf of Mexico, or take travelers soaring into the clouds or among the stars that are “big and bright, deep in the heart of Texas.”

The art is giving people a reason to look up.

The 10 pieces, in addition to a recent purchase of 74 portable art pieces, represent a $3 million investment by the City of Houston into the arts. All artwork is permanently located at Houston Airports and is part of the City of Houston’s Civic Art Collection.

So far, six of the 10 pieces are complete. Each one is purposely positioned in every terminal so everyone can enjoy #HoustonAirportsArt.