Fred Wilson creates artworks that challenge established concepts of history, culture, and race. This monumental work Mother incorporates black starlight globes and droplets, which he calls ‘drips.’ Wilson was inspired by his own experience while traveling via airplane: with the world below reduced to small dots, he reflected on humanity’s complex and enriching relationship with the earth. 

For Mother, Wilson has removed country names from the globes, instead using swatches of vibrant colors to distinguish land masses. Stripped of their use as maps or geographical aids, the globes illustrate instead how interconnected communities are today both locally and internationally. The corresponding drips resemble water, oil, and tar and reference the Earth’s natural resources, as well as the otherworldly atmosphere of the universe. Wilson hopes travelers might spot their home countries as they pass through the terminal, and feel the awe and collective responsibility owed to Mother Earth.