--- title: Giant Hummingbirds Land at Richmond International Airport description: The CODAawards Top 100 highlights remarkable projects from around the world, celebrating local creativity and the global impact of public art. image: https://knowledge.codaworx.com/hubfs/1786477863511.webp --- [![Logo-CODAworx](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Logo-CODAworx.png?width=82&height=45&name=Logo-CODAworx.png "Logo-CODAworx")](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/codazine) [CODAworx Home](https://codaworx.com) # Giant Hummingbirds Land at Richmond International Airport [By CODAzine](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/codazine/author/codazine) 1 min read Aug 19, 2026 ##### Share - - - - [mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https://knowledge.codaworx.com/codazine/giant-hummingbirds-land-at-richmond-international-airport&body=Check%20out%20https://knowledge.codaworx.com/codazine/giant-hummingbirds-land-at-richmond-international-airport&media=https://5964602.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/5964602/1786477863511.webp](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https://knowledge.codaworx.com/codazine/giant-hummingbirds-land-at-richmond-international-airport&body=Check%20out%20https://knowledge.codaworx.com/codazine/giant-hummingbirds-land-at-richmond-international-airport&media=https://5964602.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/5964602/1786477863511.webp) ***Travel Companions*** is a 24-foot public art sculpture by conceptual artist Matthew Mazzotta, officially unveiled in August 2026 at **Richmond International Airport (RIC)** in Virginia. Located in the newly renovated Center Core Plaza between the North and South Daily Parking Garages, the installation serves as the airport's very first piece of public art. ![1786477957059](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/hs-fs/hubfs/1786477957059.webp?width=1920&height=1280&name=1786477957059.webp) Commissioned for $400,000 in early 2025, the sculpture features a massive, flowering **dogwood tree** (the state flower of Virginia) encircled by **three giant, brightly colored hummingbirds**. The birds are built from commercial-grade structural steel and coated in vibrant automotive paint designed to endure the elements for decades. The installation also includes custom leaf-shaped public benches surrounding the base. Mazzotta designed the piece to draw a parallel between the ecology of Virginia and the purpose of the airport. Just as a dogwood tree naturally draws in hummingbirds, an airport brings together people from all walks of life. The diverse, vivid colors of the winged travelers symbolize Richmond's rich, multicultural community sharing a single space. Following a public vote hosted by the airport on social media, the three hummingbirds were given locally inspired names:  - **Henry**: Named after Patrick Henry, famous for his "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death" speech delivered in Richmond. - **Hollywood**: Named after the historic Hollywood Cemetery overlooking the James River. - **Hummie Mae**: A playful nod to "Hammie Mae," a famous pygmy hippopotamus born at the nearby Metro Richmond Zoo. [Click here to see Matthew Mazzotta's other work on CODAworx.](https://www.codaworx.com/profile/matthew-mazzotta) [Back to List](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/codazine) [Next Article](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/codazine/what-the-2026-codaawards-jury-had-to-say) ### More from CODAzine [![](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/hubfs/Nourishing%20Self-esteem%20Uploaded%20by%20Jorge%20Rodriguez-Gerada%201.webp)](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/codazine/art-for-social-change) [Art with Impact: 5 Projects Advocating for Social Change](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/codazine/art-for-social-change) 02 Jul, 2025 [![](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/hubfs/ENSEMBLE.s%20Uploaded%20by%20Michael%20R.%20DiCarlo%201.jpg)](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/codazine/creating-together-the-power-of-participatory-public-art) [Creating Together: The Power of Participatory Public Art](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/codazine/creating-together-the-power-of-participatory-public-art) 04 Nov, 2025 [![](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/hubfs/the_pearl_full_orange_01_full-scaled-1.webp)](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/codazine/codaworx-set-to-reveal-first-artists-for-lg-gallery) [CODAworx Set To Reveal First Artists for LG Gallery+](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/codazine/codaworx-set-to-reveal-first-artists-for-lg-gallery) 10 Sep, 2025 ## Subscribe to CODAzine ### Relevant posts [What the 2026 CODAawards Jury Had to Say...](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/codazine/what-the-2026-codaawards-jury-had-to-say) 31 Aug, 2026 [Giant Hummingbirds Land at Richmond International Airport](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/codazine/giant-hummingbirds-land-at-richmond-international-airport) 19 Aug, 2026 [Big Art Loop: How San Francisco Became an Open-Air Gallery](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/codazine/big-art-loop-how-san-francisco-became-an-open-air-gallery) 19 Aug, 2026 ## Get insights and data from CODAreview [Order your copy](https://www.google.com/) ## Related Posts [![AUS Public Art Makers Expo - Call for Fabricators](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/hs-fs/hubfs/170228_Austin_geo+lines_+kopi%20(1).jpg?width=900&name=170228_Austin_geo+lines_+kopi%20(1).jpg)](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/codazine/aus-public-art-makers-expo-call-for-fabricators) ###### [News](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/codazine/tag/news) ###### [Festivals + Events](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/codazine/tag/festivals-events) ##### [AUS Public Art Makers Expo - Call for Fabricators](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/codazine/aus-public-art-makers-expo-call-for-fabricators) Aug 13, 2025 1 min read Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and the City of Austin Art in Public Pl. [Read More](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/codazine/aus-public-art-makers-expo-call-for-fabricators) [![Don't Wait: CODAawards Submission Deadline is June 1](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Momentum%20Uploaded%20by%20Patrick%20Shearn%203.jpg?width=900&name=Momentum%20Uploaded%20by%20Patrick%20Shearn%203.jpg)](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/codazine/public-art-recognition-reimagined-with-new-codaawards-categories) ###### [News](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/codazine/tag/news) ##### [Don't Wait: CODAawards Submission Deadline is June 1](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/codazine/public-art-recognition-reimagined-with-new-codaawards-categories) Apr 22, 2026 1 min read CODAworx is proud to announce a transformative evolution of the CODAawards, on. [Read More](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/codazine/public-art-recognition-reimagined-with-new-codaawards-categories) [![Art That Moves a City: Boston’s Triennial Debut](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Triennial_Working_Edit_0042-1.jpeg?width=900&name=Triennial_Working_Edit_0042-1.jpeg)](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/codazine/the-boston-public-art-triennial-the-exchange) ###### [News](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/codazine/tag/news) ###### [Festivals + Events](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/codazine/tag/festivals-events) ##### [Art That Moves a City: Boston’s Triennial Debut](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/codazine/the-boston-public-art-triennial-the-exchange) Jun 18, 2025 2 min read The inaugural Boston Public Art Triennial—now on view through October 2025—mar. [Read More](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/codazine/the-boston-public-art-triennial-the-exchange) [![CodaWorx_footer](https://knowledge.codaworx.com/hubfs/CodaWorx_footer.png "CodaWorx_footer")](https://www.codaworx.com/) **Collaboration of Design + Art:** Connecting Creative Talent to Creative Opportunities [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/codaworx/) [Follow us on Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/company/codaworx/) [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/codaworx/) Copyright © 2025 CODAworx. All Rights Reserved. ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "CODAzine", "url" : "https://knowledge.codaworx.com/codazine/author/codazine" }, "dateModified" : "2026-08-19T19:19:09.314Z", "datePublished" : "2026-08-19T16:25:10.000Z", "headline" : "Giant Hummingbirds Land at Richmond International Airport", "image" : [ "https://knowledge.codaworx.com/hubfs/1786477863511.webp" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://knowledge.codaworx.com/codazine/giant-hummingbirds-land-at-richmond-international-airport", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://knowledge.codaworx.com/hubfs/codaworx-background-transparency.png" }, "name" : "CODAworx" } } ```