About this Art Collection
Terminal 1, Curbside Plaza, Ground Level (pre-security)
Materials: Painted stainless steel and Kaynemaile
RISE is a larger-than-life kinetic sculpture, performance space, and shade structure inspired by the purple-striped jellyfish (Chrysaora colorata), an aquatic species often found off the coast of San Diego. Positioned on the Pacific Coast, this work celebrates our connection to the coastal environment and inspires us to protect and preserve it for generations to come.
The sculpture bursts with vibrant hues that blend the jellyfish’s natural colors with the warm tones of San Diego’s sunsets. Its layered canopy consists of thousands of shimmering, interconnected rings that sway in the wind, evoking the movement and atmosphere of underwater life. Beneath the canopy, a stage hosts both scheduled and impromptu performances for nearby audiences to enjoy. At night, the jellyfish glows warmly from within, bringing the sculpture to life for evening visitors.
Matthew Mazzotta:
Matthew Mazzotta works at the intersection of art, activism, and urbanism, focusing on the power of the built environment to shape our relationships and experiences. His public projects have received numerous international art and architecture awards such as the “Architecture Project of the Year” from the Dezeen Awards at the Tate Modern in London. He has exhibited his work in the US Pavilion at the Venice Biennial, the Cooper Hewitt-Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City, and spoke at the United Nations. Matthew received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and his Master of Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is a TED Fellow, a Guggenheim Fellow, a Fulbright Grantee, a Smithsonian Artist in Research, as well as a Loeb Fellow at Harvard University.
