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Sea-Tac Airport art of US-Mexico border spotlights human trafficking

Did you see a big red line on the ground from your flight out of Sea-Tac Airport? Here’s what it means.

SEATTLE — A new art installation that was unveiled Sunday at Sea-Tac Airport aims to shed light on human trafficking and start a conversation about challenges surrounding immigration.

The installation, which travelers can see from the air on arriving and departing flights, is a 350-foot-long red sand path pathway that replicates the U.S.-Mexico border.

“Sidewalk cracks are a metaphor for vulnerable populations that exist all around us,” artist Molly Gochman said in a blog post. “By filling the sidewalk cracks with red sand, we can all draw attention to the ways in which we walk over those who are marginalized.”

“Red Sand Project: US-MX” is the airport’s first outdoor temporary artwork and will be on display through the end of the year.

To create the piece, Gochman began by surveying the site and plotting the lines of the border on the ground. Artists then tore up grass and poured concrete to create a two-foot wide pathway. Gochman covered the concrete with red sand mixed with resin.

The project follows a port campaign earlier this year to bring awareness to human trafficking that included public service announcements on public transit and in community buildings.

Gochman has created several other installations of the U.S.-Mexico border, including a 650-foot-long installation at International Airport Houston in 2018.

Visitors can view the Sea-Tac installation up close from the cell phone parking lot at 2623 South 170th Street, SeaTac.

RELATED: Watching for warning signs: Seattle businesses train to prevent human trafficking

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