Airport to Restore Artwork and Improve Placement in Parabola

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Michelle C. Wilcut
Deputy Director and Chief Customer Service Liaison
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport
504-303-7552

Airport to Restore Artwork and Improve Placement in Parabola

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - September 28, 2012 - The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is going to restore the "Louis Armstrong and his Heavenly All-Star Band - What you Loose on Earth Shall Be Loosed in Heaven" by renowned artist Richard C. Thomas. The piece is a tribute to New Orleans musicians and their legendary colleagues who created jazz, shaped it, made it a living art form and are still a part of its evolving development. The piece is currently stored until it can be restored and reinstalled above the escalators in Parabola lobby.

The artwork , which was commissioned in 1996 and measures 41 feet tall, is going to have some necessary restoration work performed so it can be reinstalled with much longer life expectancy. It is set to be reinstalled within the Parabola Lobby. The revamping of the lobby facade that is part of the modernization plan is designed to bring more natural light into the terminal and unify a facility that was built over a span of several decades.

"I'm pleased that the Airport is working with me to restore this large piece of artwork that is so indicative of this great City of New Orleans," stated Richard C. Thomas. "I am proud to have played a large role in the airport's art program and will be happy to see the mural in its new location upon completion of the terminal work."

Perez, APC Executive VP and COO Daniel Taylor said, "As the design firm responsible for the final phase of the terminal renovation, I am pleased that our design will still showcase the airport's art collection for the public to view while returning the unique architectural backdrop in the Parabola."

The current $356 Million capital program is set to be completed before Super Bowl and will enhance the aesthetics of the terminal buildings for years to come. The Armstrong Art Collection is valued at nearly $1 Million.

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