TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa International Airport's 21-foot-tall pink flamingo sculpture has officially been declared a winner of the CODAWorx Awards, a competition that annually chooses the most successful integrations of commissioned art pieces and public spaces.
Sculpted out of resin and fiberglass by artist Matthew Mazzotta and formally titled "HOME," the flamingo is more affectionately known by its nickname "Phoebe." Phoebe was completed in 2022 and had just celebrated her first birthday before taking home two prizes: a jury award in the Transportation category and one of two People's Choice awards.
A panel of 18 jurors, made up of influential people in art and design, reviewed and scored nearly 100 finalists before choosing winners in various distinctive categories. Each of the categories is based on what type of industry the works of art are displayed in. "HOME" was the winner for Transportation being displayed at an airport. Other categories include "Hospitality," "Liturgical" and "Residential."
The public was also given an opportunity to vote on their favorite contenders throughout the month of July. The two winners of this year's People's Choice awards were "HOME" and the "Aquarius Art Tunnel" at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, TX.
Winners in other categories included "Above the Ploughman's Highest Line," a colored chain installation hanging at Davis Technical College in Utah; "Infinity," a sculpture of the mathematical symbol displayed at the Stanly Ranch Resort in Napa, California; and "Whale in Love," a life-size statue of a whale crafted from tons of recycled plastic waste in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.