Giant Flamingo Sculpture Greets Visitors at the Tampa International Airport

When you’re stuck in an airport, sometimes for hours on end, the ambiance matters. Having public art installations in an airport makes a place that can be stressful (and annoying) feel a little brighter. Art breathes new life into a space and this evident at the Tampa International Airport which recently welcomed a giant flamingo in the center of its main terminal. Its pink neck and long, skinny legs descend from the ceiling and touch down near The Shoppes at Bayshore.

Titled HOME by artist Matthew Mazzotta, this colorful 22-foot-tall sculpture is accompanied by a ceiling that mimics the ripple of water. The lighting, which changes with the daylight outside, casts the same dappled glow onto the floor and creates the illusion that the flamingo has dipped its head underwater. Meant as an immersive experience, travelers are invited to step up to the art and find a moment of tranquility with one of Florida’s most iconic birds.

Mazzotta designed the flamingo to look as lifelike as possible. He hand-sculpted each part at scale and then cast them in a resin and fiberglass component. The elements were then painted to look realistic in their touch and sight. So, if you’re ever walking through the Tampa Airport, be sure to look for this incredible piece and enjoy its presence.

The Tampa International Airport recently welcomed a giant flamingo in the center of its main terminal.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Matthew Mazzotta (@matthewmazzotta)

Titled HOME by artist Matthew Mazzotta, this colorful 22-foot-tall sculpture is accompanied by a ceiling that mimics the ripple of water.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Matthew Mazzotta (@matthewmazzotta)

The sculpture is designed to look like a flamingo is putting its head underneath water.

Find HOME near The Shoppes at Bayshore.

Matthew Mazzotta: Website | Instagram
h/t: [Reddit]

Related Articles:

This Adorable Giant Rabbit Comforts Anxious Travelers at the San Francisco Airport

Whimsical Bronze Sculptures Turn Airport into Interactive Playground

Narita Airport Welcomes 2020 Olympics by Replacing Moving Walkways with Indoor Track

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled 'Embroidered Life' that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
Become a
My Modern Met Member
As a member, you'll join us in our effort to support the arts.
Become a Member
Explore member benefits

Sponsored Content