The Triangle Icon: A Symbol for the Region

As motorists approach RDU they are greeted by an outdoor sculpture that is a symbol of flight and North Carolina's role in aviation history. RDU's Triangle Icon commemorates the 100th anniversary of powered flight by Orville and Wilbur Wright on December 17, 1903. The sculpture evokes the spirit of invention and serves as a symbol for the Raleigh-Durham region.

A 50-foot tower anchors the work and points skyward, symbolizing man's aspiration to fly. The pair of intersecting wings represents the Wright Brothers and the notion of flight. The 120-foot elliptical ring represents the length of the Wright Brothers' first flight and the circuitous nature of air travel involving time, movement and return.

The Icon is a joint project of the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority, Durham and Wake Counties and the cities of Durham and Raleigh.

The Triangle Icon was designed by Wellington Reiter of Urban Instruments, Inc. of Boston.

GA Terminal Art Reflects on Power of Flight

“Dream of Flight” is a permanent sculpture in the general aviation terminal. It completes a four year project to have artwork that compliments the design of the airport's newest terminal building. Raleigh native Heath Satow created the sculpture that graces the lobby of the 22,000 square foot building.

“This piece is intended to remind visitors of a time before we soared among the clouds,” said Satow. “A time when our ancestors dreamed of reaching the heavens, and for us as children, the awe we had for flight before experiencing our first take-off.”

The sculpture includes large stainless steel “figures” looking wistfully to the heavens. A mobile above the figures consists of 1,000 pieces of cut stained glass in cobalt and light blue symbolizing the images of flight found in the clouds.

Satow's team spent three days installing the elaborate mobile. Each piece of glass was attached by hand to fine stainless steel thread and hung from the metal frame. The final day of installation included the placement of the figures in position below the mobile.

An Education Can be Found in RDU Murals

The airport's first permanent work of art — a 2,500-piece ceramic tile mural depicting North Carolina's ecosystems — is a lesson in art, history and science, providing a visually-pleasing educational experience as passengers use the pedestrian tunnel connecting the airport's parking garage with Terminal A.

The work consists of six clay murals with two scenes each from the Mountain, Piedmont and Coastal regions of the state. The scenes include the Neuse River, Mt. Mitchell, Sandhills, Pea Island, the Eno River and the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest.

Each mural is composed of 70-pound sections measuring 4 feet by 2 feet that were hand-made by Seagrove, N.C. artists Linda and Drew Krouse of LDDK Studios. Robert Johnson, a Burnsville, N.C. painter of the natural environment, researched and painted landscapes for the work.

The murals tell a story of the state's natural resources and of the on-going efforts to preserve these treasures.

Community Art at RDU

Passengers walking through the Terminal A Art Gallery, located along the walkway between Terminal A and Terminal A North, can stop and enjoy artwork from members of our community.

Past exhibits have included works by local youth, patients from area hospitals and non-profit organization's participants.

Through January 2008, travelers will experience the art and culture of the American Indian Tribal Nations of North Carolina through a three-month long exhibit by the North Carolina Indian Economic Development Initiative (NCIEDI), in conjunction with Sacred Hoop Trading as part of American Indian Heritage Month.

North Carolina has the largest population of American Indians east of the Mississippi River and the eighth largest population in the United States. North Carolina is home to eight tribes: the Coharie, the Eastern Band of the Cherokee, the Haliwa-Saponi, the Lumbee, the Meherrin, the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi, the Sappony and the Waccamaw-Siouan.

The historical and contemporary pieces on display will demonstrate the vibrancy of American Indian artists from the Southeastern United States. It will include art from the Cherokee, Lumbee, Catawba, Coushatta, Choctaw and Houma tribes. There will be a selection of art objects from other regions of the country so that the works from the Southeast can be seen within the larger framework of American Indian art. Featured artists include Joel Queen, Cherokee; Senora Lynch, Haliwa Saponi; and Hattie Miller, Lumbee.

For more information about the exhibit, contact NCIEDI at (910) 486-6555. The North Carolina Indian artwork is curated by Sacred Hoop Trading, visit them online at www.sacredhooptrading.com.