Austin Airport Showcases Latest Artistic Endeavor

AUSTIN, TEXAS — One normally wouldn't associate that gazing at compelling art pieces amid the cacophony and din of an international airport. And yet, the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport has been continually offering an array of art pieces at the hub, most recently launching a several new exhibits.

From now to spring 2019, there are two exhibits in the current Barbara Jordan Terminal: “Color Effects, An Exhibit of the Art Cloth Network” by the Art Cloth Network, ACN, and “Clay Hearts Pottery” by Ann Feldmeir.

• The Art Cloth Network - A diverse group of professional artists from the United States and Canada who work with fiber as an artistic medium. “Color Effects, An Exhibit of the Art Cloth Network,” is located in the Jollyville Gallery behind Bookpeople and across from Gate 20, and the Zilker Gallery behind Berry Austin/ Departure Lounge and across from Gate 17. www.artclothnetwork.com or http://artclothnetwork.blogspot.com
###liwww.clayhearts.com

Until June 2019, in the new 9-gate expansion terminal, there are three exhibits being displayed around the concourse. These exhibits include: “The works of Brian “Bydeeman” Joseph,” by Brian Joseph, “Featuring NJ Weaver,” by NJ Weaver, and “Rubina Anjum: Planet Earth Series,” by Rubina Anjum.

• Brian Joseph – For over 30 years in Austin, Brian Joseph, “The Bydee Man” has been sharing his colorful and positive paintings that celebrate peace and multiculturalism. His paintings of the Bydee people (BYDEE stands for Bringing You Delightful Entertaining Experiences) are a fictitious invention of Joseph’s, but his utopian vision brings delight and hope to all viewers. His work is located in the Colony Park Gallery across from Gate 10. ###a>www.bydee.com/
• NJ Weaver –A Texas mixed media artist and printmaker, NJ Weaver uses color, texture, and mark-making as the foundation for her paintings, collages, and hand-pulled prints. Weaver’s paintings are intuitive, spontaneous, and punctuated with action, movement, and gestural markings. Her work is located in the Clarksville Gallery across from Gate 10. Rubina Anjum – A visual artist based in Austin, Rubina Anjum works extensively with oil paints and watercolors. The Planet Earth Series is inspired by images taken from the Landsat7 satellite of the US Geological Survey, and NASA. The series aims to celebrate the beauty of the earth and demonstrate alternate ways to view and engage in the world. Her work is located in the Moore’s Crossing Gallery across from Gate 12. https://rubinaart.com/

There are also four artists on display around the kiosks in the new terminal from now until June 2019. These art kiosks are located in the 9-gate expansion across from Gate 10 and include:

• Jamie Lea Wade – Playful and imaginative in life and her work, Central Texas artist Jamie Lea Wade is an experienced ceramicist and curator who makes functional and sculptural art– highlighting her processes and skill in the textures and the otherworldly anamorphic figures she creates. http://vesselsforthesoul.com/links.html
• Rebecca Bennett – Using the sensual qualities of oil, this Austin area artist creates layered abstractions that explore the dynamics of color, line and texture. Her Meta Blooms series, on view at the airport, are three-dimensional relief forms, created with inkjet printed photographs of digitally modified images of her original oil paintings. http://rebeccabennettartworks.com/index.html
• Dana Younger – This Texas sculptor is interested in concept, process, the figure and the intersection of art and technology. Dana uses a wide variety of sculptural mediums to call attention to cultural heritage that warrants reexamination. His Re-Western series on display in the airport is reflective of his contemplation of the end of the idea of “The West” idealized in Hollywood, and Texas as stereotyped by our society that was shaped over decades of American TV and film’s depiction of the region. http://danayounger.com/
• Will Russell – A proud University of Texas at Austin graduate, Will Russell expresses vibrant color and pattern in his paintings that reflect Austin’s music culture in his pulsing, techno rhythm inspired compositions. https://www.willrussellart.com/.

The latest slate of art work comes on the heels of a mural unveiling at the airport over the holidays evoking the immigrant experience. Titled "A Place To Call Home," the expansive public artwork (12' by 6') by Rakhee Jain Desai depicts the local diaspora that gives Austin its diversity and cultural richness. On a painted upcycled cloth canvas covered in a protective layer of clear resin, the art was inspired after Desai hosted 20 vision workshops at her Austin art studio, where immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers helped give visually tangible shape to their visions of their newfound home, she told airport officials.

Related story: Austin Airport Mural Invokes Migrants' Hopes, Dreams

Travelers engage in a number of activities in passing the time waiting to board their flights — from making a beeline to the nearest airport bar for a cocktail or three to playing games on their phones or tablets. How about taking in some art instead? There are certainly myriad opportunities for that experience — measurably more soul-enriching than drinks or games — as you wait to embark on your trip from the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.

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>>> Image courtesy of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport