Not only is San Diego’s new airport rental car center getting ready to serve weary travelers, it is also exhibiting some world-class art.
A portion of the facility's 2 million square feet is dedicated to public art work by Amy Landesberg, Ueberall International and Christian Moeller. Each of the displays had a budget of about $650,000 — which was allocated out of the total budget for the car rental facility.
Artwork by Los Angeles-based artist Christian Moeller was the first to be unveiled Tuesday. The exhibit includes two gray bulbs with red spires shooting into the air as they sway back and forth.
San Diego International Airport Art Program Manager Lauren Lockhart said Moeller’s piece is striking, and also a lot of fun.
“The artist, he was actually thinking about his childhood in Germany, and this tradition that dates back to the 19th century of placing garden gnomes in your front yard,” Lockhart said.
The two sculptures are abstracted interpretations of the traditional German garden gnome swaying, keeping beat at the rental car center, hence the name “metrognome.”
Atlanta artist Amy Landesberg has created two sculptures for the inside of the rental car building. Titled "Hive" and "Swarm," the pieces were inspired by insect behavior and use car parts such as mirrors and tail lights in the design.
Ueberall International, an artistic group based in Southern California, is known for creating experimental public art. Still in the process of developing its piece for the rental facility, it is anticipated the collective will make creative use of technology. The art will be visible on the northeast facade of the building.
