Kent State Adjunct Faculty Member Eva
Kwong and Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson
stand on Kwong's floor art design installed
at the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.

Kent State adjunct faculty member in the School of Art Eva Kwong had her floor design permanently installed in the Concourse C terminal at the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Kwong’s artwork “Cleveland: A Wind Turbine City,” was one of seven finalists selected for the airport’s Terrazzo Floor Art Project.

The airport was replacing flooring in its terminals and was looking for floor designs that represented the Cleveland-area and the Northeast Ohio region. Airport officials received more than 25 artist submissions.

When Kwong first saw a call-out for new art for the Terrazzo Floor Art Project at the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, she wasn’t sure if she would make a design. However hesitant, Kwong began designing art pieces she thought would best represent the airport and city.

“My first design was based on the fish from Lake Erie, with bubbles in the water that had words of welcome in many languages, which reflected the diversity in the area, as well as from visitors,” Kwong says.

Through research, Kwong developed a second art design. She discovered that the first wind turbine to be built in the United States was by Charles Brush on Euclid Avenue in Cleveland.

“I felt the wind turbine was the perfect symbol for representing the past, present and future of the city of Cleveland,” says Kwong. “My design references past inventions by Charles Brush, present research on sustainable energy, including wind turbines, and the future possibilities of wind energy for the region.”

Kwong submitted her wind turbine art to the Cleveland airport, and after a jury process involving local artists and city of Cleveland officials, her design was accepted.

Kwong’s art was unveiled on May 16, during a ceremony at the airport attended by Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, and is now available for public viewing. Along with her artwork at the airport, Kwong also has a wall installation up at Lutheran Hospital and three sculptures on display at Asian Town Center in Cleveland.

The Terrazzo Art Project, a permanent collection at the airport, features pieces by various Northeastern Ohio artists.

For more information about the Cleveland Airport’s Art Program, visit www.clevelandairport.com/Airport-Guide/General-Airport-Info/Art-Program.aspx.

For more information about Kent State’s School of Art, visit http://dept.kent.edu/art/.