Press Room

New Art at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport Enhances
the Original Terrazzo Floor Design

Thursday July 16, 2009

Buffalo, NY... The Buffalo Niagara International Airport has had a unique terrazzo floor since its opening in November 1997. New construction and new accompanying graphics now help to promote it. Embedded over 10-years ago, the BNIA's 13,000 square foot art installation portrays Buffalo Niagara’s legacy as a crossroads. Nine panels, averaging 52” by 32” now adorn both sides of the central concourse, highlighting and further explain the message of the terrazzo.

Increased security measures following 9/11 forced a number of obstructions onto the terrazzo floor. The BNIA's new, greatly expanded concourse moves security checkpoints, re-opening the space in the center of the airport, revealing the art underfoot. Advancing the art on the floor are new pieces on the walls. They bring many of the narrative details up to eye level. A key has also been added describing the piece, the medium and acknowledging the artist.

The Transit Chronicle terrazzo floor depicts the history of the Niagara Frontier as a chronicle of movement, progression and growth. The region has always been a juncture of many paths, weaving together. What better way to show the many parts of Buffalo Niagara's composition with a composition that is itself many parts?
Terrazzo is a material made from chips of hard material, mixed with a binder. Although the technique dates back to 9,000 B.C., it was popularized by 15th century construction workers in Venice. They used marble chips left over from other jobs, clay and goat milk to decorate their own patios and terraces, from which we get the name. Modern terrazzo is epoxy-based, speckled with marble, quartz, granite, glass or metal.

Portland Oregon artist and sculptor Robert E. Calvo created the terrazzo installation at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport. His mixed media art resides in collections at the Tampa Museum of Art, the Norton Gallery in West Palm Beach, Microsoft and Barnett Bank. He has been the recipient of two grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. Other large-scale public works include installations for the Miami International Airport and Tampa International Airport.

-30-