REPEATED REFRAINS

Repeated Refrains, 2024
Dreamscape wall covering and Dibond printed with UV latex archival inks
7’ x 450’ x 4“
Ticketing Counter, Reno-Tahoe International Airport

Fabricated by Dixie Friend Gay Studio
Printed at Que Imaging
Installed by Artisan Wallcoverings
Commissioned by Reno-Tahoe International Airport

Repeated Refrains, presents an exploration of the natural history and environment of Reno. It embodies a profound connection with the local terrain and native living things. A contemporary mural, 450’ long by 7’ high, that unfolds over time and space. The installation mirrors the transient, dynamic essence of the natural world. The scale of the mural, with birds, butterflies, and flowers over 5 feet tall, draws viewers into an enchanted, altered landscape for a metaphorical journey.

This installation is inspired by the diverse ecosystems within a 100-mile radius of Reno—the forested mountains, the Truckee River, Lake Tahoe, Pyramid Lake, the scrub-covered hillsides, and the expansive desert valleys. Repeated Refrains speaks to a deep reverence for the local natural heritage. The images in the mural are layered, their colors and shapes distorted, compressed, and faded, to convey the passage of time thru the distinctive hues of the seasons. Shifting perceptions of the macro and micro levels within the installation offer a meditative awareness of the interaction’s humans have with the land. The visual layers integrate maps and paintings with myths, creating a visual and cognitive rhythm that invites immersion in the natural world and contemplation of our place within it.

Repeated Refrains contains no textual guide to the depicted objects, plants, and animals; viewers encountering the mural will explore and interpret without preconceptions, much like one would when stepping into the wilderness. This approach encourages engagement with the images on a deeply personal level, drawing on the viewer’s unique and intimate experiences, memories, and connections to nature.

This immersive, layered mural is a tribute to the natural beauty of the Reno area and a thought-provoking commentary on the temporal and ephemeral human experience in this timeless and evolving landscape. Viewers embark on a contemplative journey of the natural world and the history of human presence here, prompting reflection on how this environment will be cherished and preserved. Repeated Refrains stands as a compelling invitation to rediscover the natural world, to see it anew through the lens of art, and to consider the myriad ways in which it shapes, and is shaped by, human presence.

1/8 SCALE OF RENO WALL INSTALLATION IN DFG STUDIO

PRESS

CODAmagazine: Celebrating Nature, August 2024 - LINK

Permanent Installations at Reno-Tahoe International Airport - Repeated Refrains - LINK

Reno Gazette Journal - RTAA Unveils Expanded Ticket Hall - LINK