Public art at airports, all the installations not to be missed

In 2002, the Rijksmuseum became the first art museum to open a satellite location in an airport. Between Lounge 2 and Lounge 3 at Amsterdam Schiphol, travelers during all hours of the day can enjoy free viewing of artworks that the Dutch institution sets up according to thematic cores that vary over time. Setting the Table is the current exhibition: eight paintings from the Rijksmuseum's collection tell the story of table culture in the Netherlands in the 17th century. Still lifes and scenes of everyday life, painted by artists such as Gabriël Metsu, Abraham Mignon and Cornelis Dusart, give an insight into the customs of the time, transporting the viewer to another era.

Keflavík International Airport is the main stopover in Iceland and is located about fifty kilometers from the capital Reykjavík. Inside the airport, travelers can enjoy a number of works by Icelandic artists: the colorful stained-glass windows by Leifur Breiðfjörð, Magnús Tómasson's Net Jest sculpture, Rúrí's huge rainbow, and Steinunn Þórarinsdóttir's statues, which have been welcoming those arriving in Iceland since 2017. Moreover, to encourage travelers to discover local culture, the airport's website also features a section devoted entirely to Icelandic music, with a series of playlists that can become the perfect soundtrack for a trip to the island.

In 2019, Copenhagen Kastrup International Airport saw the construction of a new 36,000 m² area designed by Vilhelm Lauritzen Arkitekter in collaboration with Zeso Architects. In addition to new facilities, this space included from the very beginning site-specific artworks by Danish artists aimed at improving the airport experience for all travelers. Notable works include William Soya's Light Sculpture, which reimagines the space with a new light, and Alexander Tovborg's large stained-glass window Sphinx and Nature, which envelops travelers with a positive energy, inducing tranquility and harmony in the hectic airport environment.

One of the longest works of public art in Europe can be found in an airport, specifically in Heathrow Terminal 2: Slipstream is Richard Wilson's enormous aluminum sculpture that, at about 70 meters, has been accompanying travelers through the London airport since 2014. A metal structure with a serpentine silhouette, it tends tangible and visible the wake of a fast and dynamic flight, imagined by the artist. The futurist inspiration of the work is revealed by the energetic design of sinuous lines, intended to transpose the excitement of the air show into the architectural environment of the international terminal.

Paris is certainly one of the quintessential European art cities to visit at least once in a lifetime. Paris Orly and Paris Charles de Gaulle airports welcome travelers right from the start with art installations that vary over time, featured in Terminals 1-4: from Rodin's sculptures, to a collaboration with the Musée du Quai Branly-Jacques Chirac to the Espace Museés, a two-hundred-and-fifty-square-meter architectural jewel that in the heart of Charles de Gaulle's Terminal 2 hosts two exhibitions a year. An exhibition dedicated to the Maison Européenne de la Photographie is currently underway with shots by some of the greatest photographers of our time, such as Richard Avedon, Valérie Belin, BrassaÏ, Hiro, William Klein, Sarah Moon, Bettina Rheims, and many others.

In 2022, the Public Art Fund, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting public art in city spaces, directed its efforts towards projects at LaGuardia Airport in Queens and Newark Liberty Airport in New Jersey. At Terminal A in Newark, Layqa Nuna Yawar and Karyn Olivier showcased two significant works, while Terminal C in LaGuardia was enhanced by the Queens Museum's collaboration, featuring pieces by artists including Rashid Johnson, Aliza Nisenbaum, and Ronny Quevedo. In relation to the new Terminal 6 at JFK Airport, the public will need to bide their time until the year 2026 to witness the grand reveal of the most expansive permanent art collection ever to grace a New York airport.

Miami International Airport has integrated art into its core identity through the establishment of the MIA Gallery and exhibitions program. Many site-specific works can be found in the lobbies and in passing places. Among the most celebrated is Michele Oka Doner's A Walk on the Beach, a series of mosaics embedded in the floor of the North Terminal Concourse D, depicting motifs inspired by Florida's marine flora and fauna. Another significant-and definitely Instagram-worth work is Christopher Janney's Harmonic Convergence, an audiovisual installation that combines colored lights and sound to create an immersive environment. The U.S. airport's website not only showcases permanent installations but also lists the current temporary exhibitions taking place in different areas.

San Francisco International Airport houses a wide array of permanent art pieces and rotating displays that showcase the cultural richness of the Bay Area. Artworks by renowned artists, both local and international, are on display in the terminals of a U.S. airport as part of the public art collection managed by the San Francisco Arts Commission, turning the airport into a free art gallery for the public. Among the most notable are Jason Jägel's 2019 colorful tile mosaic The Author & Her Story, and Liz Glynn's 2019 stainless steel plaques sculpture Terra-Techne.

Since 1990, several art exhibitions have been held in the spaces of Los Angeles International Airport, and in the 2000s a full-fledged Art Program took shape, with a calendar full of activities and the commissioning of public artworks to Californian artists. Permanent installations include Mark Bradford's monumental Bell Tower (2014) and the Air Garden by Los Angeles studio Ball-Nogues. There is also an interactive map on the airport's website to locate all the works, and a calendar of performances and cultural events celebrating California creativity.

Tokyo's Narita and Haneda airports boast art collections that enrich travelers' experience with works that reflect Japanese culture and history. At Narita Airport, passengers can enjoy a series of permanent and temporary exhibitions in Terminal 1, including a small gallery devoted to masterpieces of Japanese art in the collection of the Tokyo National Museum, and several installations by artists such as Akira Yamaguchi, Kiyoshi Awazu, and Eriko Horiki. At Haneda Airport, Terminals 2 and 3 feature the works of Hiroshi Senju, a renowned Japanese artist known for his monumental paintings depicting waterfalls and natural landscapes. Born in 1958 in Tokyo, Senju is famous for his use of the traditional Japanese technique called nihonga, which involves the use of natural pigments on paper or silk.

Local and international artists display public artworks throughout Hamad International Airport. For example, Qatari artist Ali Hassan created the sculpture titled Desert Horse, which blends classical techniques with abstraction, just outside the airport building. However, the best-known installation at the Doha airport can be said to be Swiss artist Urs Fischer's Lamp Bear, located in the center of the terminal: a seven-meter-high yellow teddy bear leaning against a bedside lamp of the same size, which in the hustle and bustle of the international airport invites travelers to take a moment's pause, evoking the tranquility of a childhood memory.

Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport aspires to become a "decentralised museum," aiming to elevate Italy's artistic and cultural legacy. Visitors arriving at the Roman airport can come across both ancient and modern art pieces from various places, showcased in temporary exhibitions held within the airport premises. Up until September 1st, visitors can admire three renowned medieval stained-glass windows, which are said to have been crafted by Giotto, on display at the Terminal 1 square. Additionally, a series of seven original sculptures and paintings dating back to the Roman era are being presented along the pathway leading to Pier A, forming part of the Men and Gods in Ancient Ostia exhibition, a research endeavor organized by the Archaeological Park of Ancient Ostia in collaboration with AdR for logistical support.

Milan, known for its modern art and design scene, greets travelers from around the globe at Linate and Malpensa airports with cultural programs that offer an immediate dive into the artistic ambiance of the city. Iconic pieces of Italian design history, such as the Carlton bookcase by Ettore Sottsass (1981) and the Joe armchair by Jonathan De Pas, Donato D'Urbino, and Paolo Lomazzi, can be found in the spaces of Linate airport, where Triennale Milano has created a dedicated area showcasing the country's design heritage. At Malpensa Airport, a variety of art projects are on display throughout the year, ranging from the artworks showcased in the Milan Gate at Malpensa Airport Terminal 1, to the exhibitions presented in the Photo Square area also situated in Terminal 1.