A Baton Rouge native specializing in digital drafting and three-dimensional design has created a custom “In Flight” art installation in the Woman’s Hospital main atrium. The display of life-sized birds soaring inside the hospital was made possible by a donation from the family of Rose Marie Fife, a breast cancer survivor and longtime Woman’s volunteer.
Artist Brad Bourgoyne was inspired by the weightless flight of Louisiana’s indigenous birds like the egret and heron and his interpretation of their nesting habits. “Birds have long been associated with the journey through life’s many seasons and cycles of renewal,” Bourgoyne said. “Designed specifically for the space, this sculptural installation represents Woman’s Hospital as a place of nurturing and healing, and will hopefully welcome visitors with a vision of nature that not only lifts the eye, but also lifts the spirit.”
The display uses a thin durable material that is delicately woven by a 3-D printer to create a unique shape and details of each bird. Multiple, white, life-sized egrets soar with seven foot wingspans above the main lobby, while a flock of 48 smaller birds suspend in front of the large windows on separate frames. The flock is coated with opalescence colors of green, blue, yellow, purple, and pink to reflect the natural light from the curtain wall on the entrance of the hospital.
This installation serves as the cornerstone for the Woman’s Hospital Artwork program. In conjunction with the fine art pieces, the installation highlights themes of weightlessness, flight, and soaring. These feelings and ideas are all positive associations that aim to build a comforting environment that supports families, women, and children.