Red Sea Fiori

Dale Chihuly - Red Sea International Airport

Dale Chihuly is widely regarded as the greatest glass artist living today, known for his innovative and paradigm-shifting work that often references marine life. 

This new work, Red Sea Fiori, is conceived in four parts. Each piece is located at a terminal pod at RSI and offers different, technically complex, techniques and color palettes, representing local corals and seagrasses. The Red Sea destination is home to five of the known 55 seagrass species worldwide and last year RSG conducted its first seagrass rescue program, transplanting seagrass that was damaged or degraded to new locations using various methods to test efficacy. As guests depart RSI, these sculptures serve as a colorful reminder of the vibrant ecosystem of the Red Sea and the importance of our oceans. 

Dale Chihuly, the artist, said: “These new works reference the forms and hues of species integral to the health of our ecosystem, such as Red Cluster, the Blue Whip Discosoma, the Slate Pencil Urchin, Red Coral Cups, Halophila Ovalis, and Funnelweed. I hope it delights passengers, while providing a striking reminder for travelers to do their part to preserve our seas’ fragile, vibrant biosphere.” 

Chihuly has been the recipient of many awards, including two fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and thirteen honorary doctorates. This marks Chihuly's first installation in Saudi Arabia, a significant milestone for both the artist and the region. 

“These artworks are the first cultural touchpoints for visitors to our destination. It is essential they reflect the identity of the Red Sea, a region and a destination with an ancient history of trade and cultural exchange existing alongside modern Saudi heritage and arts. If, as I do, you consider the ecosystem an integral element of culture and cultural development, you find there are so many incredible stories to tell of the people, of the environment and of their histories. Both Daniel and Dale understood this and produced beautiful, significant, artworks that resonate with our nature-first ethos and proud Saudi identity. This is just the beginning,” said Dalya Islam, Director - Arts and Culture at Red Sea Global. 

Project Team:

Dale Chihuly Studio - Dale Chihuly, Keri Schroeder, Nathan Inwood, Jeff Gerber.

Aimes: Michelle Guerin, Jim Woodall, Rakan Maher, Ghislaine Pardo, Katy Spurrell

Client - Red Sea International: John Pagano, Dalya Islam, Nicholas King, Jawaher Alkraidees