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The old copper roof at Lambert airport is enjoying a revival on the walls of St. Louis homes and businesses.
The roof was installed in 1956 and replaced last year. Lambert officials asked local presses to create printmaking plates from the discarded copper tile, and artists came up with three sets of limited-edition prints with nostalgic themes. One, by Firecracker press, shows a young, mid-century couple happily heading for their honeymoon.
Another, by Artist Amanda Verbank of Pele Prints, depicts flight paths printed on paper airplanes. Airport director Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge remembered one buyer who was reminded of a childhood obsession.
"He said, ‘I just love paper airplanes. I was a kid and I flew paper airplanes,'" Hamm-Niebruegge said. "So I think it's just a wide range of interests."
Each of the three presses made 25 prints. About half of them are still for sale, on the Etsy site, for around $125.
The presses were paid a stipend. Money from sales goes to the Lambert Art and Culture Program, which funds the display of art at the airport. There are currently 18 works exhibited at Lambert, some permanent installations, others on loan. In about a month, two pieces from Laumeier Sculpture Park will have a new temporary home inside the airport.
Architectural Significance
Some people are buying the roof-inspired pieces for their architectural interest. The Lambert terminal was designed by Minoru Yamasaki, who also planned the World Trade Center Towers and St. Louis' Pruitt-Igoe housing project, among others structures.
Others are drawn by an appreciation for the art-making.
"What it took to make these prints, and the process these three individual companies went through to be able to actually take a piece of the roof, and turn it into something," Hamm-Niebruegge explained.
When Lambert approached printmaker Gina Alvarez of Yellow Bear Prints about the project, she thought it was a cool idea. To Alvarez, the wear and tear on the roof's copper tiles suggested clouds.
"When I travel, I always notice the clouds," Alvarez noted. "Flight is a unique opportunity to be above them."
Her title, "I Remember When" references an era when air travel was considered chic.
"So my work is on the nostalgic side and as well as a personal reflection," Alvarez said.
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