The newest art exhibition at John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Orange County, CA titled “Symbology” includes the work of six Southern California-based Latinx artists: Abby Aceves, John Flores, Dani Garcia, Amanda Kazemi, Ivan Virgen, and Jaime Zacarias (aka Germs).
The artists use pattern, color, iconography, and metaphor to delve into tradition presented via surrealist paintings, hyperrealistic drawings, and intricately crafted ceramic sculptures.
Look for this exhibition through July 22, 2024, post-security in the Terminal A Vi Smith Gallery, between Gates 1 and 4 and in the sculpture gallery in Terminal B.
And the tunes start right at Nashville International Airport (BNA). There, live performances featuring all manner of musical styles, from traditional and contemporary country to rhythm and blues, jazz, pop, gospel, and bluegrass are presented on stages located near the A/B Waiting Lounge, the C/D Waiting Lounge, and in the Concourse C Food Court (beyond security).
If you’re headed that way, check out the BNA events calendar filled with live performances. And be sure to take a moment to listen up when you land.
(Photo above: Singer-songwriter Joe West, dubbed the “house band” for Nashville International Airport)
Fresh Art at Nashville International Airport
(Artist: DeShawn Lewis)
While you’re at Nashville International Airport, look for the art as well.
The Spring/Summer installment of the Flying Solo series at Nashville International Airport is on view through June 23, 2024, showcasing the works of talented Nashville artists including Daniel Arite, Sarah Clinton, Joel Keas, DaShawn Lewis, Josh MacLeod, Vanessa Sharp Multon, Tammy O’Connor, and Mary Ruden.
If you’re heading to or through San Francisco International Airport (SFO) anytime soon, be sure to look for some of the permanent and temporary exhibits offered throughout the terminals by the SFO Museum.
One of the newest, titled Everyday Elegance in Chinese Ceramics, features an assortment of functional wares from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries representing various regions in China.
The exhibit includes oil lamps in the shape of animals, colorful hat stands, lively guardian lions or “foo dogs,” blue-and-white porcelain, rustic food storage jars, and more.
According to the exhibition notes:
Everyday objects are frequently embellished with a host of auspicious symbols to increase the likelihood of wish fulfillment. Rebuses or pictorial puns found on ceramics convey a variety of desires, from a harmonious marriage to the securing of rank, wealth, and longevity. Decorative motifs often take the form of flowers, birds, animals, children, or geometric designs.
Looke for Everyday Elegance in Chinese Ceramics, in the pre-security area of the International Departures Hall (Gallery 4D) at San Francisco International Airport through mid-August.
Personal Collection – Private Obsessions features an assortment of private collections that are borrowed from residents of the Greater Philadelphia area and from employees at Philadelphia International Airport.
Passengers traveling through PHL between now and May 2024 will see some collections representing nostalgic objects, such as handbags, sewing thimbles, antique glass, airline silverware, and John F. Kennedy ephemera.
Other collections feature more familiar objects from popular culture—ice cream scoops, bobbleheads, bottle caps, Funko Pop! figures, travel magnets, and Philadelphia Eagles hats.
The exhibit notes point out that while the activity of collecting is a universal experience, each collection is as personal and unique as each object and often represents a specific remembrance or story.
“This is the 4th exhibition of collections that we have presented over the past 25 years of the exhibitions program,” said Leah Douglas, PHL’s Director of Guest Experience. “The current installation is by far the most extensive one to date and it is proving to be a big hit with our guests and employees,” she said.
Personal Collections – Private Obsessions is on view at Philadelphia International Airport through May 2024 and is located between Terminals C and D accessible to ticketed passengers.
What do you collect?
It seems everyone collects something. Or many things. Please share a note about your collections in the comments section below.
And the Terminal Lobby Expansion (TLE) is a $608 million piece of that project.
The west side of the TLE opened in July, 2022. And now the east side of that section is set to open at the end of October.
This section delivers about 90,000 square feet of new space, access to the east subterranean walkway, and TSA’s Checkpoint 1, with eight screening lanes. .
Travelers through this new east side lobby area will also find large windows, terrazo flooring, bright blue tile frames for the entrances and exits, and new sculptures and murals.
Pasengers will also see an old friend.
While construction has been underway, the airport’s statue of Queen Charlotte was moved out the way and then taken offsite for a restoration and a repatina.
Now she’s back.
Last week, airport officials unveiled the refreshed 3,000-pound, 15-foot-tall bronze sculpture of Queen Charlotte, back on top of a 30-foot tall base.
The crown jewel in #CLTairport's Terminal Lobby Expansion is now unveiled. 👑 Since the Queen Charlotte statue installation in 1990, it has moved twice. Now it has reached its final destination inside the terminal lobby, which is only about 150 feet from her original location.… pic.twitter.com/XbzV1K2YBr
The Queen Charlotte statue is now in the center of the Queen’s Court, the name for the Terminal Lobby Expansion space. Queen’s Court is also home to Queen Charlotte’s Kitchen. This is CLT’s first pre-security sit-down dining option, offering breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as wine, beer and cocktails.
How did the Queen Charlotte get to CLT?
In the late 1980’s a local group put up $250,000 to commission an airport sculpture to symbolize the city and greet CLT passengers.
Washington, D.C., artist Raymond Kaskey won the commission and his statue of Queen Charlotte was dedicated on Sept. 18, 1990.
For many years the statue stood on a fountain in an outdoor plaza between CLT’s hourly parkng decks. She’s been been moved around and taken off site for several years to accomodate airport construction.
Here’s a video of Raymond Kaskey talking about the getting the initial commission for the project and creating the sculpture.
