Airport Art

Have you noticed that airports often feature art exhibits? I suppose with people either waiting for a flight or waiting for someone to arrive there is a lot of downtime. I am certainly appreciative of having something interesting to look at. For example, at the San Diego airport, we found this display.

Kaleidoscopic Comfort
by Janet Hansen

Janet Hansen is an LED artist based in Encinitas, California. In this installation, Hansen used custom software that she developed to individually program the LEDs, allowing her to animate geometric patterns and vibrant colors that respond dynamically to sound. A custom soundtrack cycles through music genres and the lights transform in real-time. It also adapts to any music an audience may add. Here are some stills of some of my favorites, there were three kaleidoscopes in total.



Guillermo Arias is a Tijuana, Mexico-based photographer. His photo below captures an iconic view of the US/Mexico border. At the beach, the border extends from land into the ocean, merging with the natural landscape. The image evokes a moment of innocence and joy, as the border is interrupted by a young girl absorbed in play, unaware of the wall's distorted reflection beneath her. 

Border Mirrored 
by Guillermo Arias

Sophia Allison is a mixed-media visual artist based in Los Angeles. She crafts abstract geometric forms reminiscent of landscapes and naturalistic sculptures inspired by geodes and crystals using both watercolor and handmade paper that she makes from the pulp of recycled materials. Additionally, she incorporates elements such as dirt, salts, and colorful pigment. Her rock-like sculptures appear solid and weighty, but closer inspection reveals their light, delicate construction. 




At the Atlanta airport (which Ira discovered was the busiest airport in the world in 2024) near our gate there was a display called Lunch Box Time Capsule. Lunch boxes started out of necessity during the  Industrial Revolution when workers had to tote their lunch and needed something to protect it. Made of lithographed tin (and later, plastic and vinyl) lunch boxes not only carried our sandwiches, snacks and Thermos throughout our school years, but also communicated our interests of all things cool. Over the decades, these boxes helped to chronical popular culture--especially television. Below are several of my favorites from my childhood.

The Flintstones, 1971

Scooby Doo, 1973
Six Million Dollar Man, 1974

Charlie's Angels, Little House on the Prairie, Bionic Woman, 1978

Cracker Jack, 1978

Though not a blast from my past, Ira spotted this one that of course reminded us of Dr. Ronzoni at the Organ Museum in Massa.


Sempre Bach!

A dopo.

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