‘The Phoenix’ mural back on display at Sky Harbor rental car center
Oct 22, 2021, 7:00 PM
PHOENIX — The eye-attracting mural at Sky Harbor dubbed “The Phoenix” is now back on display at the airport’s rental car center.
Created by Paul Coze, the creation stands 16 feet high and 75 feet wide, and greeted travelers in Terminal 2 from 1962 until it closed in early 2020.
The mural remained over the main hall until it was moved to its new location from March to fall of this year.
It can currently be viewed from the southwest corner of the central escalator lobby in the rental car center and will have easier access following the opening of the PHX Sky Train extension in mid-2022, according to a press release.
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“The history represented in this mural—from the imagery of Hohokam symbols, modern tribes and Latino heritage to mining and technology depictions—speaks to each one of us,” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said in the release. “We are all represented in this work of art.”
According to the release, the mural is believed to be the first public art piece voted for by citizens and commissioned by the city of Phoenix after city leaders asked artists in 1960 to submit concepts to be put on display at the Phoenix Public Library.
In addition to paint media, the mural is made up of 52 different materials — including glass, mosaic tiles, plastics, aluminum, gemstones and soil and sand from around the state — and represents Phoenix’s past, present and future, according to the release.
“Paul Coze’s mural highlights the rich diversity of our city,” Councilwoman Betty Guardado, District 5, said in the release.
“At its new location, visitors will not only see the history of the city, but also a reflection of the resiliency of the men and women that make Phoenix what it is today.”
