Suspended high above a bustling airport concourse hangs cloudsandclunkers. This isn’t just any art installation. It’s a captivating dialogue between contrasting elements. It’s a thoughtful piece reflecting the human experience.
cloudsandclunkers by Peter Shelton is located in Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Specifically between gates A9 and A10 of Concourse A. This unique artwork is part of the American Post-Minimalist movement. It showcases identical shapes in surprising materials.
Light fiberglass “clouds” dance from the skylights. Heavy cast iron “clunkers” rest below on a stepped platform. The design is a clever mix of opposites. Light and heavy. Translucent and opaque. Ethereal and earthbound. The shapes themselves draw inspiration from human industrial and natural forms.
Shelton’s genius lies in his exploration of how identical patterns. Made in different materials. Can evoke entirely different feelings and associations. It’s a testament to his understanding of materiality and form. His interest in the interaction between materials and the space they occupy is central to his work.
cloudsandclunkers isn’t just aesthetically pleasing. It also functions as a quiet refuge. A moment of calm amidst the usual airport hustle and bustle. The artist intended to create a space for reflection. Particularly at the west end of the wedge-shaped installation. Where the iron clunkers are clustered.
Shelton himself described his work as a “threshold between in and out object and space heavy and light.” This statement perfectly encapsulates the essence of cloudsandclunkers. It invites contemplation. It forces us to consider contrasts. And it ultimately enhances the often overlooked transitional space of an airport concourse. Next time you’re at SeaTac remember to look up. Seek out this unexpected masterpiece. Pause. And let the cloudsandclunkers speak to you.