Flying kites at MIA? No – just its latest art installation
When passengers traveling through Miami International Airport’s Concourse E-Satellite look up, they will now see a flock of kite-like structures hovering above. No, MIA doesn’t have a new open-air concourse. Rather, it’s the airport’s latest art installation - Ando Volando (I’m Flying), by Miami-based artist Emilio Adán Martínez. The new installation has a companion display titled Andan Volando (They Are Flying), located inside Concourse D.
Both installations - constructed with paper, string and Australian pine branches - transform seemingly delicate sculptural pieces into floating works of art. Resembling kites and boats that suggest the idea of flight, the works comment on the concept of travel and on the fleeting passage of time through life, space and dimension.
Ando Volando consists of six elegantly perched mobiles assembled in groups of three - a number the artist uses frequently in his work. The mobiles hang from two elevated atriums on the concourse train platform. Hand-sewn painted paper is formed into trilateral shapes and delicately knotted and tied to hand-trimmed wood using strings. Hovering in the space at different planes, each piece draws the gaze to a high-point of the ceiling. The work symbolizes one’s journey both physically and metaphorically by using fanciful representations of motion inherent in transportation, and the passage from one place to another.
We are honored to host the work of this innovative artist, who creates whimsical yet contemplative pieces that reflect on flight, the passing of time, and even air travel. We try to provide our passengers with a wide-ranging selection of rotating exhibitions and installations that feature visual artists from diverse backgrounds and practices.
Emilio Adán Martínez was born in Cienfuegos, Cuba, and moved to Miami in 1960. The artist has worked in many different creative disciplines throughout his career, including fashion design, photography, drawing, printmaking, painting and sculpture. Martínez earned his bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Florida International University and has participated in several South Florida exhibitions. Martínez’s work can be found in public and private collections throughout the United States, Latin America and Europe. He lives and works in Miami, Florida.
To request materials in accessible format, Sign Language Interpreters, CART services and/or any accommodation to participate in any Miami-Dade Aviation Department (MDAD) public meetings and events please email the ADA Office at ADAcoordinator@miami-airport.com or call the office in 305-876-7747 five days in advance to initiate your request. Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing may also call 711 (Florida Relay Service).