Art in the Airport: How JFK is Making the World a Brighter Place

Of all the words you might associate with an airport terminal, “art” is likely not one of them. However, Terminal 4 (T4) at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York is on a mission to change that. Multiple public art displays were recently unveiled throughout the terminal, including a mural by a local artist, an interactive hologram, and a photography exhibition featuring images captured by staff.

Each of the displays has been thoughtfully curated to encite travelers with various emblems of the city and its communities. Learn more about each exhibit below. 

Zeehan Wazed Mural

Gate B25 is the lucky recipient of this fun, colorful mural. By local artist Zeehan Wazed, the piece encapsulates the hustle and bustle of Queens. Zeehan Wazed is a New York City based Bangladeshi-American artist who creates multimedia work exploring the fine line between art and technology. His murals can be found all around the city, in Jamaica, Astoria, Jackson Heights, Flushing, Queens and Long Island City – to name just a few! His work is easily recognizable for its bright and vibrant colors, and focus on representing the surrounding community. 

Wazed’s mural in T4 is no exception. In making the mural, Wazed wanted to reflect on his home in Queens, using vibrant colors and intricate design that demonstrates the borough’s heritage as a gathering place for New York’s many diverse communities, as well as JFK’s position as the world’s gateway to those diverse communities. 

The mural includes henna on the streets of Hillside, boomboxes on Jamaica Avenue, and the famous Unisphere. Intertwining these specific emblems to represent the diverse tapestry of New York City, Wazed creates a sense of place and belonging for the passengers traveling through T4. Of the work, Wazed said:

“Having grown up close to JFK Airport in Jamaica, Queens, I strive to encapsulate all of Queens and its many cultures and demographics through my artwork. I hope this installation will commemorate the surrounding neighborhood which I call home.”

From IdleWild to JFK

Located in T4’s Retail Hall in the A-Concourse, this digital and static photography installation tells the story of JFK Airport. The collection comprises historic photographs provided by the Cradle of Aviation Museum (in Long Island), as well as photographs taken by the terminal’s employees.

The photographs begin in 1948, when a group of makeshift buildings officially known as “New York International Airport,” but commonly known as “Idlewild Airport,” first opened to the public. They document how, fifteen years later, after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in December 1963, the airport was renamed in his honor. They also depict how, since then, “JFK” has grown to become the architectural megastructure we know today, and one of the busiest airports in the world. 

Featured photographers include: 

Vincenzo Pace, director of Airport Solutions at Unity Electric. Pace is a published professional aviation and aerial photographer and a lifelong aviation enthusiast, and was born and raised in Queens. He also serves as the secretary of the JFK Airport Rotary and is an active member of the JFK Airport Chamber of Commerce and KAAMCO.

Shubham Singh, an electrical and computer engineer, and assistant project manager for Terminal Redevelopment at JFKIAT. Singh was born in India and grew up in Queens and has a passion for aviation that he showcases through his Instagram page, @Airtographer.

Edilson Norena, airside operations manager for JFKIAT. Born in Colombia and currently residing in Rockaway Beach, Norena holds a Bachelor of Science in aviation maintenance management and is passionate about airport terminal operations. He enjoys sharing his experience from ‘inside the airfield fence’ on social media with the goal of motivating others to pursue a career in aviation.

Bronx Zoo Immersive Holographic Experience

Passengers can also experience a life-size hologram of Bronx Zoo director, Jim Breheny,  teaching them about Bronx Zoo residents; from sloths to alligators, pelicans, warthogs and more. This installation also features micro-videos that showcase terrestrial and marine animals, and a short film that highlights the work of the Wildlife Conservation Society around the globe. 

Jeppe Hein, All Your Wishes

The exhibitions at T4 come a few years after another public art installation at LaGuardia Airport in 2020. In response to COVID-19, to support the mental health of travelers amid the pandemic, four artists, Jeppe Hein, Sabine Hornig, Laura Owens, and Sarah Sze, worked on exhibits for LaGuardia. Similar to T4, some drew on their personal experiences of New York City. Nicholas Baume of the Public Art Fund, the organization that commissioned the works in collaboration with LaGuardia Gateway Partners, said the art “solicits a sense of wonder, and delight, and joy; and, of course, those are all things we desperately need in our lives right now.” 

The installations at LaGuardia were a response to a global crisis, during which many turned to art, design, and culture for comfort. The installations at JFK, on the other hand, are setting the precedent that art does not need to be a response to something negative. Human beings gathering in a place is reason enough to fill it with art. 

It’s also notable that the subject of the art chosen for T4 is New York City. Somewhere along the line, a group of executives around a board table decided that the best use of these funds–which surely was a large amount–the best way to engage people and showcase the city– was art. Not information boards, not audio tours, not books, brochures, or guides. Art.  

This entire project works to demonstrate how highly the world values art and design. Whether it’s raising money, awareness, selling a product, educating, or making an experience or location a more enjoyable place to be, art is the thing we return to, and that’s why it is at the core of Pieces With Purpose’s mission. 

Sabine Hornig, La Guardia Vistas