INDIANAPOLIS -- Officials at Indianapolis International Airport have grounded artwork inspired by troubled pop star Justin Bieber.

The airport had hired Columbus, Indiana, native Tre Reising to make an art display for one of the passenger concourses.

An airport spokesman tells WISH-TV that managers expected a display about hip hop and art. Instead, Reising made multicolour letters of the word "belieber" that the singer uses as a social media tagline.

The airport is still paying Reising the $500 promised for the artwork.

The artist tells WTHR-TV he understands the airport's decision. He says he thought travellers would have fun taking photos of the artwork and sharing them online.

Reising's taking the piece back to his current home in New York City and hopes to eventually put it on display.