Kansas City’s largest single infrastructure project is also home to the city’s largest public art display — now accessible at the newly opened KCI terminal. With dozens of pieces installed throughout the entire facility, here are some of the most noticeable works.
Five massive art pieces
“Flights” | Hou de Sousa | One of the first pieces to catch your eye is housed within the parking garage across from the check-in hall.
“The Air Up There” | Nick Cave | The massive span of the check-in hall’s ceiling is ornamented with 3,000+ spinners depicting KC symbols and images of nature.
“Fountain” | Leo Villareal | Just beyond security is a metal + light sculpture fit for the City of Fountains.
“Cloud Gazing” | SOFTlab | Try to look up while you’re on the people mover in between concourses.
“Ornithology” | Willie Cole | Twelve birds made out of saxophones honor the KC jazz great, Charlie Parker.
Meet artist Bernadette Esperanza Torres
Bernadette created “Dreaming Of The Beautiful Places You Will Go,” an acrylic sculpture display of flowers that “represent the fragility of the cycle of life.”
What’s your background?
Growing up we starved. My dad was a florist. I grew up in a flower shop. It was feast or famine, but that’s why I wanted to do the flower arrangements. [Now,] I work for Penn Valley Community College. I’m a teacher. My students are really excited.
Can you describe your work?
This is my ceramic work. I’m a ceramicist, and I handmade these ceramic flowers [...] and then it’s photographed, so it’s digital images of my flowers.
What led you to this vision?
What do we want [at the airport]? What would you want to see that would just be fun. That would be bright. [...] I’m not saying anything other than beauty and joy.
