TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa International Airport's giant flamingo installation is just about ready for its grand debut.
In the meantime, travelers will find an unfortunately decapitated bird gracing the space in front of the main terminal's Shoppes at Bayshore. Airport officials say full completion of the project is set for late April or early May.
The 21-foot art piece titled "HOME" is a floor-to-ceiling resin and fiberglass sculpture of a flamingo dipping its head into the water by artist Matthew Mazzotta.
Photos shared with 10 Tampa Bay on Thursday showed what appeared to be much of the installation already complete — the bird has its beak in contact with the floor. What's missing is the feeling of being underwater.
Airport officials say it will take several weeks for the art installation to provide the full illusion as the ceiling panels still need to be installed. Once completed, the project will be "for visitors to fully immerse themselves in the flamingo’s habitat."
Renderings of the final installation show the reflection of light cast on the ceiling and floor to give such an experience. Scroll through the gallery below and see what the installation looks like now and what's expected:
Giant flamingo at Tampa International Airport
The flamingo is sure to be a popular selfie spot as people are already taking pictures with it — and they were seen doing so Thursday — even in its unfinished state.
"This, I think, is a reflection of the personality of Tampa. We're all about having fun and when you see this huge flamingo in the middle of a terminal you can't help but smile," Tampa International Airport CEO Joe Lopano said.
Plans for the sculpture's installation were first announced in March 2020 along with six other pieces as part of the airport's public art program. The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority Board selected the pieces from 734 local and international submissions.
"I think we will find that HOME is aptly named as it will evoke a sense of place for those that experience the artwork," Robin Nigh, the City of Tampa’s manager of arts and cultural affairs and a member of TPA’s Public Art Committee said in March 2020.
"The artwork should provide a visual respite; a sense of home for returning travelers and a sense of arrival for visitors. It is unique, quiet, beautiful, kitsch and fun all at once. HOME will carry the meaning of what individuals bring to it, very much like one’s ‘real’ home."