This space at the new Fresno airport parking garage will feature a new mural by artist Caleb Duarte. Photo via FAT

Fresno artist and educator Caleb Duarte has been selected to create a mixed media mosaic mural for the Fresno Yosemite International Airport.

The piece titled “You Have Arrived” was chosen by the Fresno Arts Council based on its artistic vision, budget and representation of the cultural diversity and spirit of the Central Valley, according to a news release.

“It is a great honor to be selected for the creation of Fresno Yosemite International Airport’s public mural that will represent the cultural vibrancy and resilience of our community,” said Duarte. “I believe that public art serves us by establishing a collective memory while creating new sites of shared experiences.”

The final design will be unveiled at a later date.

To be located on the outside of the newly built parking garage, Duarte’s design “illustrates an embrace of a painted ceramic figure representing a growing abstract tree with well-grounded roots, reflecting the region’s surrounding mountains and forest. Decorative floating patterns symbolize flight and aerial views mirroring the airport’s existing sky and ground mosaic by Raymond Rice. The mural integrates mosaic tiles with river rocks and painted ceramic for the flowing hair, face, and hands of the central figure. Caleb’s design creates a thoughtful expression of Fresno’s unique cultural renaissance and a dramatic welcome for visitors arriving in our city,” according to the release.

Duarte is a tenured professor of sculpture at Fresno City College, and has had group and solo exhibitions throughout California and globally including Mumbai, India; Chiapas, Mexico; Santiago de Cuba, Cuba; Montréal, Canada; Frankfurt, Germany; Pienza, Italy, and many other countries.

“Caleb Duarte’s experience, vision and artistic interpretations that combined Fresno’s culture and history, play to the architectural elements of the garage, and complements the existing mosaic on the face of the terminal building made him the best choice to create our signature public art piece,” said Director of Aviation Henry Thompson.