Schematic Design
Tropicalismo Revisited
2021
31’ 8 1/4” x 27’ - 9 7/8” x 1 3/16”
Photographic laser etched anodized aluminum
Tampa International Airport, Tampa, FL
Schematic Design
Tropicalismo Revisited
2021
31’ 8 1/4” x 27’ - 9 7/8” x 1 3/16”
Photographic laser etched anodized aluminum
Tampa International Airport, Tampa, FL
Tropicalismo Revisited
2021
The term Tropicalismo, or Tropicália, is Brazilian in origin, stemming from the 1960’s artistic movement that brought together socio-political reflection and the natural environment. Tropicalismo Revisited, references this modernist genre while paying homage to the tropical garden that once existed at the Tampa International Airport. The etched aluminum photographic panels are composed of geometric forms, including isosceles trapezoids and parallelograms. The singular image that comprises the work is defined by both pattern and absence. The voids between the panels allude to the sky peeking through lush foliage as the undulated edge references the loosely defined boundaries of a gardan. Working with a 8x10 camera, the photographed tropical plants become exponential in scale. This invites varying degrees of observation from macro to micro as one moves through the 3 levels of the airport, experiencing different sight lines in order to fully absorb the artwork. The monumentality of this installation offers viewers an immersive experience within this fictive garden.