Holiday travel in Houston just got brighter. A gargantuan new art installation will welcome flyers at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH).
The piece is called Coastal Prairie Fiori. Inspired by the famous wildflowers of the Texas coastal plains, the construction is made up of 537 colorful, hand-blown glass elements and stretches nearly a third of a football field over the 17-lane TSA screening area in the new International Central Processor (ICP). Suspended on five custom armatures, the piece adds both color and a sense of adventure to flying to and from the city.
Coastal Prairie Fiori is the work of Dale Chihuly, arguably America’s best-known glass artist. He started working with the material in the 1960s during a weaving class, working shards into tapestries. Chihuly then moved into glassblowing, growing in expertise in the art even after being blinded in the left eye in a 1973 car crash. In the last several years, he has been specializing in airport installations, including Denver International Airport (DEN) and Will Rogers Airport (WRWA) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
“The way an installation interacts with a space — its light, dimensions, energy — is important to me as an artist,” Chihuly said in a statement. “The relationship between art and its environment is key. Coastal Prairie Fiori embodies that relationship; it’s hundreds of elements, when combined with the natural light that pours in through Bush Airport’s atrium, transforms the space. The way this shifting light interacts with the glass is incredibly dynamic.”
The ICP checkpoint will be fully operational by summer 2025.
Chihuly’s installation is the latest in Houston Airports’ commitment to enriching the travel hubs with various art. In February, Houston Airports installed two art cars in IAH and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU). These cars honored famous Texas musician Stevie Ray Vaughan and the legendary late singer of Queen, Freddie Mercury. The airports have increasingly become a space to display the work of artist both local and international as travelers pass through.
“The installation of Coastal Prairie Fiori represents our commitment to enhancing the international passenger experience through art that captures Houston’s natural beauty and cultural vibrancy,” says Jim Szczesniak, Director of Aviation for Houston Airports. “As a key part of our larger IAH Terminal Redevelopment Program, the new International Central Processor provides an ideal space to showcase this impressive installation, which we hope will inspire and captivate travelers from around the world.”
The Houston Airport System is renowned for its art, winning World's Best Art in the Airport from Airport by Skytrax in 2023 and 2024. Both Bush and Hobby were highlighted in the award for having exceptional art displays that celebrated Texas culture.
