Miami International Airport in Florida has unveiled a new art installation that depicts the constellations of the night sky as physical forms based on their historical descriptions.
Created by multi-disciplinary artist Ken Nintzel, the life-sized stellarium called You Are Here hangs above passengers in the South Terminal and contains suspended sculptures of animals, objects, people and mythological characters. The artwork’s animal constellations have been created using flocking for fur and sequins for scales, while the human constellations have been cobbled together from tailor and dress forms, wig heads, boot trees and mannequin parts.
Yolanda Sanchez, director of fine arts and cultural affairs, Miami International Airport, said, “Ken Nintzel is a magical storyteller offering us a fresh translation of the night sky.
“His transformation of the night sky into three-dimensional forms allows us to interact with the figures in a more direct and playful way, and encourages us to see the constellations anew. We feel extremely fortunate to provide this unique and imaginative experience to our passengers.”
Nintzel said, “You Are Here was inspired by my first look at a celestial atlas and its detailed illustrations of the constellations in corporeal form – a menagerie of wild and domesticated animals, reptiles, insects, creatures of the sea, birds in flight, symbolic objects, heroines, heroes and mythological beasts all posed in a celestial tableau. The more I looked at these illustrations, the more I wanted to be among these stellar constellations, surrounded by their physical presence.”