![]() Phoenix looking for artists for Hispanic heritage mural series. ![]() Miniskirts, go-go boots: Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport highlights mid-century airline style.Coze wrote and illustrated for Arizona Highways, National Geographic and other publications. Among other things, he was commissioned to create art for National Park interpretation centers and murals for many buildings in Phoenix. A biography from Sky Harbor said Coze served as the French Consul in Phoenix and taught art classes out of his Phoenix studio for many years. Paul Coze was born in Beirut, Lebanon, and spent his youth in France before moving to the United States. There is no admission fee and parking is free in a visitor lot on the northeast end of the rental car center. “The Phoenix" is located at the southwest corner of the central escalator lobby in the Rental Car Center at 1805 E. Viewing machines serve as binoculars, allowing people to make out more details, like the abalone shell and volcanic glass that make up the bird’s eye.Īlthough “The Phoenix” lives at the airport’s Rental Car Center, anyone can visit. It’s spotless and sparkling and so inviting to look at.” And it was so dirty before - I mean, it was up for 60 years, you know. “And I feel like I’ve never been this close, you know. “Every time I see this, I see something new, even now at the age of 61,” she said. Lisa Parrone's father, Paul Coze, was the artist who created "The Phoenix" mural. Lisa Parrone hopes they'll be drawn to the mural. “So I think it’s important to also remember the debt that we have to those that sacrificed for us to have these amazing facilities now,” he said.Įvery year, 2 million people are expected to pass through the Rental Car Center. Garcia pointed out the Rental Car Center was once known as the Golden Gate Barrio, a neighborhood of mostly Mexican-Americans who had to move after Phoenix used eminent domain to buy land to expand the airport. “I thought they’ll never put the money into what it takes to do that right but by golly you’ve done a wonderful job and I’m so thrilled,” said Bolon.įor a city sometimes criticized for demolishing rather than preserving, spending $2.1 million to share “The Phoenix” with future generations is significant.Įqually important, said Vice Mayor Carlos Garcia, is the mural’s reflection on history, "It tells the story of the Hohokam, the Tohono O’odham people, that had been here before this airport and reminding us that this was, is and always will be Indigenous land." The panels were stored on airport grounds where they were cleaned before being installed at the Rental Car Center. Experts spent nearly two months delicately removing the mural from Terminal 2. In 2016, McCay Lodge Conservation Laboratory and Chimney Corporation determined it could be moved. Cerelle Bolon, former student who worked on the mural “But moving it? I never thought the city would do it.” The uncertainty gnawed at former student Cerelle Bolon. ![]() Kay Coze died in 2012 not knowing whether her husband’s work would survive Terminal 2’s demolition. When her mother heard the city planned to demolish Terminal 2, Parrone said she was devastated, "This was near and dear to her heart because she participated, along with all of the myriad of other people that did as well."Ībout a dozen years ago, Parrone’s mother circulated petitions in an effort to save “The Phoenix”. “It was very important to my mother that this was never compromised and eliminated, that it was something that people looked forward to when they arrived at Sky Harbor," Parrone said. "The Phoenix" mural was unveiled at the Rental Car Center next to Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport on Oct. He was paid $10,000 to create the mural that debuted in Terminal 2 in 1962. They were displayed at Phoenix Public Library where people voted Coze’s design as their favorite. In 1960, the City Council invited five artists to submit drawings to appear in a new airport terminal. “The Phoenix” is considered the first piece of public art chosen by residents. When you made the atoms, you chose those sparkles and put them in the glue and put them in his oven to bake for a while until they got to a certain temperature.” “The little sparkly circles, those are the atoms and I did those in his kitchen. “I worked on the atoms,” said Cerelle Bolon, who was among several art students who helped Coze. There’s also sand and soil from Hopi and Navajo reservations, the Grand Canyon, Oak Creek and Tucson. The multi-dimensional artwork contains 52 materials, including tiles, glass, and gemstones. Its 365 feathers spread vibrant reds, greens and blues across the canvas. ![]() In the center, a mythical phoenix bird perches on a tree with city buildings below. “The Phoenix” consists of three separate panels, each 16 feet high.
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