Flight Paths – Atlanta, Georgia
The City of Atlanta Department of Aviation Art Program
Artist – Steve Waldeck
As you approach “Flight Paths”, you may notice the rich colors of a lush forest from above. The sculptural tree canopy filters layers of light, while sound and animation shelter the space. It is our hope that as you take a 450-foot multisensory walk through our simulated Georgia forest, enjoy a moment of respite and perhaps recall a fond memory or two of the expansive outdoors.
There are two clearing areas that provide a view above the tree canopy, in which clouds float and regional birds soar across the sky. The clearing near Concourse A features bird species typically found in a forest environment such as a red-tailed hawks, swallows and turkey buzzards, while birds more commonly found around our wetlands-including ospreys, herons and ducks-are
featured in the clearing near Concourse B. Just past the clearings, you will encounter a virtual pond where a summer rain shower is heard and visually represented with raindrops. The environmental soundscape captures the sounds of a Georgia swamp; frogs and nighttime insects take center stage while firefly effects flicker just beneath the tree canopy.
It is our desire that “Flight Paths” creates a distinctive sense of perspective and provides you with a meaningful and memorable experience while passing through our airport to your destination.
The Airport Art Program would like to thank artist Steve Waldeck, the visionary behind this wonderful installation, for his perseverance and creativity in bringing his original idea to fruition to make this public artwork a reality. We also extend thanks to his wife and collaborator Jane Waldeck for adding her creativity to the process. We commend our Department of Aviation coworkers, led by Anthony Dixon, Ashley Thompson and Candace Prentice for their commitment and dedication to this project. This project required the involvement of a diverse creative team that helped to guide the vision that Steve created.
Key contributors included:
- Project management and fabrication – Marc Shellist, Tony Eckert and the team at SVI Themed Construction Solutions
- Video content – John Featherstone and the creative team at Lightswitch Inc.
- Sound – Charles Shriner of MCSD Studio
- Audio Solutions – Val Dempsey and his talented team at CEI
- Video and lighting solutions – Matt Pearlman and the team at Intelligent Lighting Creations
- Electrical – Greg Beck and the team at United Electric
- Construction – Greg Hogle and the employees of Sierra Construction Company
PROJECT TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Audio content
The bird species you can hear include: American black ducks, American crows, American goldfinches, American robins, anhingas, barn swallows, barred owls, belted kingfishers, blue jays, brown thrashers, Canada geese, cliff swallows, common grackles, Eastern bluebirds, Eastem meadowlarks, Eastern screech owls, European starlings, great blue herons, great egrets, great homed owls, mourning doves, northem bobwhites, northern cardinals, northern flickers, ospreys, purple martins, red-headed woodpeckers, red-tailed hawks, sandhill cranes, snow geese and wild turkeys. The insect species you may hear include: bees, cicadas, flies, meadow crickets, mosquitos and katydids. Also to be heard are the sounds of Georgia bullfrogs and green tree frogs.
Video content
Creating the avian videos for “Flight Paths” was much like orchestrating a digital puppet show. Anatomically accurate 3D models of each bird species were created in software called Maya, with digital ‘strings’ to activate and control the birds like puppets.
Once a bird model was created, it was imported into cinema 4D software, where skilled artists used research from videos, photographs and input from ornithologists and project collaborators to manipulate the models to create the lifelike videos you see in the installation.
Sculpture
The tree canopy is primarily made out of aluminum, which was laser cut into individual stylized leaves that are roughly 4′ x 4′ in size. Each leaf was painted in one of three variant shades of green. There are approximately 4,000 individual pieces in the installation, and approximately 24,000 LED lights were used.
ARTIST STATEMENT
“Flight Paths’ has a philosophical intent that poetically expands its meaning beyond the obvious flight paths of forest birds to “flight paths” in general. Specifically, this woodland canopy of regional birds is related to Georgia but the activities of motion, lights and sounds are metaphors that also relate to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. These fantasy visualizations attempt to overcome the reality of this underground passageway and soar as art. When travelers walk through this idealized forest, they make Flight Paths a part of their journey.” – Steve Waldeck