Houston is famous for its art cars, and now travelers will have the opportunity to see some of them on display at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU).
“Art has the power to transform spaces and create memorable experiences,” said Alton DuLaney, curator of public arts for Houston Airports, in a statement. “We are thrilled to collaborate with the Orange Show to showcase an Art Car at our airports, providing passengers with a delightful visual journey that captures the spirit of Houston's eclectic artistic community.”
Art cars have been a Houston institution since 1986 when the first art car parade was held with just 11 vehicles. Now, it has grown to be the largest art car parade in the world, featuring hundreds of entries.
Thanks to a partnership with the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art, a few art cars are always on display at the Art Car Museum. However, the small space can only accommodate a few pieces at a time on a rotating basis. A chance to catch more examples of this unique art form at another venue is more than welcome.
At Bush, visitors can find the art car in the Terminal A Ticketing Lobby. The car is a tribute to Freddie Mercury, the legendary lead singer of the rock band Queen. Mercury died of bronchial pneumonia in 1991.
The car features a statue of Mercury on the roof wearing his famous yellow jacket and branding a British flag. It was created by Rebecca Bass and the students of the Art Car Club at Reagan High School (now known as Heights High School). Mercury is a Houston icon thanks to a stop at The Summit in 1980 when he sang “We Will Rock You” sitting on the shoulders of a man dressed as Darth Vader from Star Wars.
Hobby will sport another car dedicated to a music legend. This one features a statue of Texas guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan. Another Bass creation, it debuted at the 2019 parade to great acclaim. Vaughan is a slightly odd choice to showcase in an airport considering he died in a helicopter crash in 1990, but he is undoubtedly a piece of Texas history ready to welcome travelers from all over the world. His car can be found in the Ticking Lobby near TSA Security.
The Houston Airport System is renowned for its art, winning the inaugural World's Best Art in the Airport from Airport by Skytrax in 2023. Both Bush and Hobby were highlighted in the award for having exceptional art displays that celebrated Texas culture.
Courtesy of Houston Airports
SRV is near Hobby's TSA checkpoint.
The 37th annual Art Car Parade will take to the streets of downtown Houston on April 13.
