Flying Carpet
Flying Carpet is a site-specific installation at the Sacramento International Airport—a woven aerial view of the Sacramento River rendered in wool and nylon carpet. Spanning 150 feet along the floor of a pedestrian bridge connecting the terminal to the parking garage, the design traces roughly 50 miles of the river, from the outskirts of Colusa to south of Chico.
The work invites travelers to experience flight before takeoff. As they walk across the carpeted bridge, they move above the landscape it represents—bridging the distance between earth and air. By depicting a familiar geography beneath travelers’ feet, the piece becomes a kind of “welcome mat,” reinforcing a sense of connection and belonging for those arriving in Sacramento.
Conceptually, the bridge itself plays a crucial role. Like a river or an airplane, it exists between destinations—a place of passage rather than arrival. In Flying Carpet, the usual relationship between river and bridge is inverted: the river flows not beneath, but upon it. This reversal creates a quiet, playful tension, transforming an everyday corridor into a space of reflection and wonder.
By working in carpet—a material both utilitarian and domestic—the project reimagines the ordinary as extraordinary. It merges humor, geography, and poetry to create a moment of levity in transit, reminding travelers of the enchantment of movement and the joy of flight.
Special thanks to Charles Nelson, Cal State Chico, and Ulster Carpet for their collaboration and support.