Saba Razvi likes to write in airports, which is good because she flies out of George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) or William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) once a month. A poet, writer and critic who teaches at the University of Houston Victoria, she finds airports to be spaces full of possibility and adventure. Inspiration comes easy at Houston airports because of the legacy of art curation that has been a part of terminals for the last twenty-five years, a dedicated process meant to showcase the diverse and powerful history of artistic expression the city is famous for.
“I always look for the artwork exhibited there as a place to indulge my curiosity and take notes,” she says. “These provide really good opportunities for reflection and engagement. They go beyond the practical aspects of packing and juggling documents and luggage, and remind us to think of the bigger world around us with all of its nuances and cultural expressions. People-watching is nice, but no one wants to invade anyone’s privacy by staring — and there is only so much screen time one can tolerate in such liminal space. In a way, art in airports asks us to think about the people connected to a certain place, the paths of their own lives and journeys.”
Thanksgiving and Christmas are the biggest travel times of the year, especially for airports. The American Automobile Association (AAA) estimates 6 million people will fly domestically between now and the end of the year, and with IAH being the gateway to Latin America, Houston will see many international departures and arrival as well. The process of flying is notoriously stressful.
Former Mayor Annise Parker set out to make Houston airports a place of contemplation and appreciation. When she was still a city council member, she spearheaded a 1999 ordinance that mandated 1.75 percent of funds to improve public buildings and be spent on art to beautify spaces.
That included the airports, which have grown to be unlikely hubs for local, national, and international art. IAH just installed a massive glass flower sculpture in the new International Central Processor (ICP). It was created by Dale Chihuly, arguably America’s best-known glass artist. Both IAH and HOU also contain some of Houston’s famous art cars dedicated to legendary musicians. Latin America is well represented by installations by Regina Silveira and Carolina Cayado. Both airports contain dozens of pieces.
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