Fountain (KCI), 2023

Kansas City International Airport, Kansas City, MO

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Fountain (KCI)

Image and Video Credit: James Ewing

Leo Villareal’s site-specific sculpture inside the Kansas City International Airport, Fountain (KCI), pays homage to Kansas City’s legacy as The City of Fountains. This monumental artwork, which measures approximately 24 feet tall and 18.5 feet wide, shines with a total of 37,824 individually programmable LED nodes, which Villareal programs with his bespoke software to evoke flowing water. The piece transforms the airport gateway into a welcoming environment full of meaningful experience.

Throughout history, fountains have played a key role in human settlements as well as in historical and mythological stories. Fountains act as a site to experience the freshness of running water, to prepare for prayers, or to make a wish. They are public spaces that encourage socialization and connection. Fountain (KCI) integrates these age-old tenets of human civilization into a contemporary form that employs software and light in creating immersive experience.