A few weeks ago, the news broke that John F. Kennedy International Airport’s new Terminal 6, currently under construction, would feature installations by eighteen contemporary artists, including Kerstin Brätsch, Nina Chanel Abney, Teresita Fernández, Charles Gaines and Barbara Kruger. These excellent artists were selected via collaboration between New York’s Port Authority and Public Art Fund, which also worked on the art-filled LaGuardia Airport renovation.
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Observer connected with Public Art Fund’s executive and artistic director Nicholas Baume to hear more about the JFK Terminal 6 art announcement and the state of public art in New York.
For those who haven’t seen the new LaGuardia yet, let’s start with a broad question: why do New York’s airports need great art?
Our functional public spaces can also be great civic spaces. When functionality, design and art come together, we’re truly building a wonderful city. To my mind, powerful, relevant public art is essential in fostering an authentic sense of community.
Art brings visitors from around the world to New York City, and our airports should reflect the awe-inspiring creativity that fuels this city’s rich cultural life and makes it a global destination. Artistic expression is a fundamental aspect of the urban fabric as it enriches our daily lives and our sense of community. Art reflects our diversity, creativity and vitality.
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LaGuardia’s Terminal B........