LA artist's sculpture at LAX explores imagination, culture and space

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- An artist's vision, shaped by imagination, culture and collaboration, is set to greet millions of travelers at Los Angeles International Airport.

Glenn Kaino, a Los Angeles-based artist, has created a large-scale sculpture titled "The Distance of the Sun," inspired by his personal experiences and a collective sense of wonder. The piece will be installed at the new LAX People Mover, known as Skylink.

"I think growing up I felt like an outsider. You know, I didn't feel like I belonged in a lot of spaces. So I would use art to create a world and build community, and largely that has helped define, you know, what I do and who I am today," Kaino said.

The imaginative way Kaino has learned to connect with the world is what makes him so special. Walking through his Glendale studio is proof. Everywhere you look, an assortment of wonders, a sensory buffet, sometimes beyond our comprehension, but always fascinating.

While his creative genius has been on display at the Smithsonian, LACMA, MOCA, Japanese American National Museum, his latest sculpture will be even bigger. Millions will see it in person, and likely you.

It's called "The Distance of the Sun." This beautiful accumulation of imagination, science and art will greet the masses of excited travelers at the brand new LAX People Mover called Skylink.

The idea for the sculpture began during an eclipse at Griffith Park Observatory.

"I was walking with my daughter up to Griffith Park Observatory during the eclipse, and I happened to look back and I saw thousands of people all staring up at the sun, which inspired me to come up with the idea of a myriad of cultures, all dreaming of outer space, dreaming of a raft, a ladder that we could just climb up into the sky," Kaino said.

So how do you turn an idea into a work of art? For Kaino, it's always about collaboration. He combines his vision with those who can free their brain to dream big: children.

"We started to do workshops. I prompted the kids, but just said, 'How would you get to space?' We got the most amazing answers," he said.

The artist also drew on his Japanese heritage and the art of origami.

"We all start with a single piece of paper. And through the folds that we make, each piece of paper can become almost anything, and I love that as a metaphor for our lives," Kaino said.

To pull it off, he enlisted the help of an origami master, Robert Lang.

Lang may not be what you were expecting. Art tears down stereotypes. Beautiful ideas and talent come from within.

A former NASA engineer, Robert uses his brilliant brain to transform paper into the most mind boggling creations.

"It just felt really good. The mental manipulations, the problem solving, the artistic creation, all that blended together to make it really fun," Lang said.

The project evolved from small paper models into a large-scale installation.

"Glenn Kaino's artwork was selected through through an open competitive process. We were struck by how Glenn thought about travel through time and through different cultures," said Mayen Alcantara, director of Public Art, Metro Art.

An estimated 75 million to 80 million people pass through LAX every year. When the Skylink People Mover opens later this year, Kaino's sculpture will become part of that experience, offering travelers a moment to reflect on both the past and the possibilities ahead.