Etihad Airways is turning trash into treasure, according to Travel & Leisure. The national airline of the United Arab Emirates is working with artists to repurpose retired plane parts into new works.

 

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Old equipment includes carpet, emergency equipment, windows, sidewalls, and airplane seats. Enter, artists! Emirati artist Azza Al Qubaisi turned seat floor mounting rails into a geometric shape. Christine Wilson, an Irish native who lives in Dubai, turned curtains, life jackets, wall panels, and cabin interior pieces into a piece representing the “textural zeitgeist of Etihad.”

 

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With products that are upcycled, artists can breathe new life into old materials. Terry Daly, Executive Director Guest Experience, Brand & Marketing said: “End-of-life parts that were destined for landfill have been repurposed into beautiful art installations by skilled artists who used rare and unwanted aircraft scraps. By collaborating with artists from the local community, our goal is to not only showcase talent within the region, but to further encourage sustainable innovation that’s good for the environment.”

Azza Al Qubaisi’s piece was possible with Etihad parts. “Visiting Etihad’s warehouse of aircraft parts during the COVID-19 pandemic brought back memories of travelling around the world and discovering different cultures. I was thrilled to have unlimited access to amazing materials that I could upcycle or melt into art for my ‘Seeking Identity’ sculpture series. After deconstructing some seats, I have a bigger appreciation for the ergonomics and technology that goes into them – there are hundreds of pieces. I’m already working on a second piece of art by melting and casting the scrap materials I didn’t use for my first installation and I can’t wait to share it with the world,” Azza shared.

Read more about eco-art in One Green Planet, check out “The Plastic Bag Store,” a marine cemetery in India, and art installations for climate change.

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