Art focused on welcoming those of any race, creed, nationality, or sexual orientation was installed at the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport last week. The installation started in March and was just completed.
The first installation, “Star of the North” (L’Etoile du Nord), is based on the Minnesota State Motto that was first adopted in 1861 and is on the state seal. L’Etoile du Nord is 6 feet tall, made of aluminum, and covered with holographic rainbow vinyl. Inside the star is a crystal prism that is lit so tiny light rainbows show on the ground below the star.
L’Etoile du Nord uses rainbows to both be visually beautiful, but also to impart the meaning that anybody of any race, creed, nationality, or sexual orientation are welcome in Minnesota.
The second installation, Aurora Borealis, brings the colors of the Northern Lights to life in the airport. The Aurora Borealis wall is 60 feet long by 6 feet tall. In the very middle of this 60-foot long series of images is a rainbow diamond made of clear acrylic rods and lit with LED color lights that go through the colors of the rainbow.
The third display is titled “Leap of Joy” and is inspired by Henri Matisse and the Fauves’ painting, Bonheur de Vivre (The Joy of Life). The display includes a 3D printed leaper covered in holographic rainbow vinyl covering. The image includes floating diamonds curving in the way an airplane turns.
Artist, Philip Noyed, was selected to create these installations, and they are the first major art installations at the MSP airport in 15 years.
