The new outdoor art sculpture, “The Peaks,” now sits near the gateway to the airport, greeting travelers while paying homage to the original custodians of the land.
The 90-foot-tall steel structure was imagined by California-based artist Gordon Huether at a cost of about $6 million. It’s part of Huether’s seven architecturally-integrated installations for the airport. He says it’s his most complex commission to date.
Huether said, “Our Peaks installation is one of the largest airport gateway sculptures in the country and we are both humbled and proud to have created it for the community of Salt Lake City.”
The five peaks, inspired by the Wasatch Mountains, are made of weathering steel ranging from 90 feet to 40 feet high. Each peak represents one of Utah’s five Native American tribes as well as the five elements of the natural world.
Atop the tallest peak is a glass orb which pinpoints the location of Utah on the globe.
Huether is based in Napa, California, and specializes in large-scale, site-specific permanent art installations. He also created “The Canyon” installation at the SLC Airport’s main terminal and “Canyon 2.0” and “Northern Light” scheduled to be installed in 2024.
