Uniquely Houston
Collection: Houston Airport System (HAS)
2024
Standard white canvas, white gesso, acrylic paint and markers
Location:
George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
2800 N Terminal Rd
Houston, TX 77032
About the Artwork:
Uniquely Houston (2024)
by Marlo Saucedo, Leslie Gaworecki, and Emanuelee Bean
Within Bush Intercontinental Airport are a series of paintings that resulted from a collaboration between three creatives: Marlo Saucedo, a painter born in Ohio in 1969; Leslie Gaworecki, a painter born in Bryan, TX in 1976; and Emanuelee Bean, a poet born in New Jersey in 1986. First, Bean, Houston’s fifth Poet Laureate, wrote original poetry about the city. Then, Gaworecki painted abstract backgrounds on each canvas using acrylic paint. The backgrounds feature masses of colors that blend into and/or layer over each other, such as gradients of blue, red, orange, pink, green, white, and more. Finally, Saucedo used markers to draw figures and outlines of birds, trees, and downtown Houston’s skyline using words from Bean’s poem over Gaworecki’s backgrounds. The largest piece is spread over nine square canvases, altogether measuring 16 feet high and over 18 feet wide, placed in a grid pattern that shows birds flying from plants and trees into an abstract sky. The other two pieces form a diptych of the Houston skyline on a blue and white background. Note how even the tree outlines are made of Bean’s poetry and how the buildings are made of words in 130 languages.
Excepcionalmente Houston (2024)
por Marlo Saucedo, Leslie Gaworecki, y Emanuelee Bean
Uniquely Houston (2024)
by Marlo Saucedo, Leslie Gaworecki, and Emanuelee Bean
Within Bush Intercontinental Airport are a series of paintings that resulted from a collaboration between three creatives: Marlo Saucedo, a painter born in Ohio in 1969; Leslie Gaworecki, a painter born in Bryan, TX in 1976; and Emanuelee Bean, a poet born in New Jersey in 1986. First, Bean, Houston’s fifth Poet Laureate, wrote original poetry about the city. Then, Gaworecki painted abstract backgrounds on each canvas using acrylic paint. The backgrounds feature masses of colors that blend into and/or layer over each other, such as gradients of blue, red, orange, pink, green, white, and more. Finally, Saucedo used markers to draw figures and outlines of birds, trees, and downtown Houston’s skyline using words from Bean’s poem over Gaworecki’s backgrounds. The largest piece is spread over nine square canvases, altogether measuring 16 feet high and over 18 feet wide, placed in a grid pattern that shows birds flying from plants and trees into an abstract sky. The other two pieces form a diptych of the Houston skyline on a blue and white background. Note how even the tree outlines are made of Bean’s poetry and how the buildings are made of words in 130 languages.
Excepcionalmente Houston (2024)
por Marlo Saucedo, Leslie Gaworecki, y Emanuelee Bean
Dentro del Aeropuerto Intercontinental Bush se encuentra una serie de pinturas que surgieron de una colaboración entre tres creativos: Marlo Saucedo, pintora nacida en Ohio en 1969; Leslie Gaworecki, pintora nacida en Bryan, Texas en 1976; y Emanuelee Bean, poeta nacida en Nueva Jersey en 1986. En primer lugar, Bean, quinta Poeta Laureada de Houston, escribió poesía original sobre la ciudad. Después, Gaworecki pintó fondos abstractos en cada lienzo utilizando pintura acrílica. Estos fondos presentan masas de colores que se funden entre sí y/o se superponen unas a otras, tales como degradados de azul, rojo, naranja, rosa, verde, blanco, y más. Finalmente, Saucedo dibujó figuras y contornos de aves, árboles, y el perfil urbano del centro de Houston, utilizando palabras del poema de Bean y empleando marcador sobre los fondos de Gaworecki. La obra de mayor tamaño se extiende a lo largo de nueve lienzos cuadrados que, en conjunto, miden 16 pies de alto y más de 18 pies de ancho. Están dispuestos en un patrón de cuadrícula que muestra aves alzando el vuelo desde plantas y árboles hacia un cielo abstracto. Las otras dos obras conforman un díptico del perfil urbano de Houston sobre un fondo azul y blanco. Observe cómo incluso los contornos de los árboles están formados por la poesía de Bean y cómo los edificios están compuestos por palabras en 130 idiomas.