Ion District, Houston’s 16-acre innovation hub developed by Rice University, announced its next round of site-specific window art installations. Created by Houston-based artists Luisa Duarte and Joel Zika, the new installations were unveiled by the artists Oct. 29 during a public event hosted by the Ion and Piper Faust Public Art at Second Draught.
The installations are available for the public to view for free for the next six months as part of the Ion District’s Eye on Art program. The rotating art installations create opportunities for Houston-based artists and demonstrate the importance of cross-disciplinary connections when fostering innovation.
As the epicenter of the Ion District, the Ion provides a variety of programming aimed at fostering innovation and entrepreneurship for Houston companies and beyond. Eye on Art enhances this mission by showcasing creativity through accessible art experiences for the community and visitors — displayed prominently in the building’s windows, which serve as welcoming focal points at its entry.
Chosen by the Ion and the Ion District Art Advisory Council, with support from public art consultant Piper Faust, the installations are a nod to the original window displays of the historic Sears building on which the Ion was built.
Luisa Duarte: “Urban Sentinels”
Bold geometry and radiant color transform in this dynamic exploration of structure, balance and the pulse of urban life.
Luisa Duarte is a multidisciplinary artist with a foundation in architecture that deeply shapes her practice. Rooted in abstract geometry, her work transforms structured design into intuitive, expressive forms that explore memory, identity and belonging. As a Venezuelan immigrant, Duarte’s art reflects the duality of nostalgia and discovery, blending the precision of architecture with the emotion of lived experience.
Her latest installation, “Urban Sentinels,” is a site-specific work composed of four three-dimensional sculptures derived from her geometric works on paper. These sentinels are quiet observers and guardians of presence that invite reflection rather than defense.
Rooted in architectural language yet alive with color and rhythm, the sculptures interact with their surroundings to create moments of stillness within the city’s motion. Framed by a green-painted mural, “Urban Sentinels” transforms the Ion’s windows into a space for contemplation and connection.
More than an installation, Duarte’s sentinels act as beacons of care, holding space for imagination, memory and belonging within the urban landscape.
Joel Zika: “Acanthus”
Victorian decoration comes to life in this cutting-edge interactive sculptural installation.
Joel Zika is a Houston-based media artist originally from Australia who uses emerging technology to tell stories in site-specific environments. His practice combines deep research with a fascination for both contemporary and historical forms of entertainment, creating immersive works that connect communities through shared visual experiences.
Zika’s latest work, “Acanthus,” uses digital technology to explore our relationship with ornament in public space. The installation features digital sculptures and holographic projections that audiences can control. Through this interactive experience, participants manipulate richly decorative, Victorian-inspired forms as if tending to flowers in a garden. The work continues Zika’s exploration into how we communicate through our built environments using motifs of classical decoration to create an immersive, participatory environment that encourages curiosity and engagement.
Zika has exhibited internationally in galleries, festivals and public spaces, with recent projects featuring digital installations in windows and vitrines similar to those at the Ion.
“Innovation comes in many forms, and the Eye on Art program is a testament to artists, creatives and Houston residents being an integral part of Ion’s innovation community,” Faust said. “As we unveil the fifth round of art installations, we celebrate the extraordinary work of our local artists and also the inclusive, welcoming and collaborative space that Ion offers to all innovators in Houston.”
To learn more about the Eye on Art program and its application process, please visit the Artist Residency page on the Ion District’s website or contact Piper Faust at piper@piperfaustpublicart.com.