SPACE September 2024 (No. 682)
(left) Hague Yang / Image courtesy of Kukje Gallery / ⓒCheongjin Keem, (right) GaHee Park / Image courtesy of the artist and Perrotin / ⓒMike Vass
John F. Kennedy International Airport (hereinafter JFK Airport) will soon present the largest public art collection ever seen in a New York airport. On July 16, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced the list of artists selected for the public art commission for Terminal 6. Of the artists chosen are New York- based artists such as Eddie Martinez, Teresita Fernandez, and Shara Hughes, as well as prominent conceptual artists such as Charles Gaines and Barbara Kruger, and Korean artists Haegue Yang and GaHee Park. Because of the ‘unique characteristics of the airport’, specific details about the artworks and their installation locations have not been disclosed. However, according to the art magazine Artforum, travelers passing through Terminal 6 will be able to enjoy a work by Barbara Kruger, which will be displayed on the airport walls. The New York Times reports that GaHee Park and Eddie Martinez are expected to present medallion- shaped glass mosaic works installed on the floors, while Haegue Yang and French artist Laure Prouvost will showcase suspended installations hanging from the ceiling. Haegue Yang, known for her large-scale installations with materials like blinds, straw, and paper, will provide a fresh take on airport spaces. GaHee Park who has made a name for herself with oil paintings, will explore a new creative direction through a collaboration with glass mosaics.
The Public Art Fund, a nonprofit organisation leading this public art project, has previously undertaken public art commissions at LaGuardia Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport. The budget allocated for the public art programme at Terminal 6 of JFK Airport is approximately 22 million USD, similar to the amount invested in two terminals at LaGuardia Airport. Unlike LaGuardia Airport, a domestic airport, JFK Airport is a major global hub and a key gateway to the United States. What is the background to nominating a Korean artist based in Berlin and Montreal to install works in this space? In a written interview with SPACE, Nicholas Baume (director, Public Art Fund), explained that they aimed to reflect New York’s ‘richness and diversity’ in the airport’s art programme, considering diversity in every aspect—from the artists’ backgrounds and experiences to the mediums and forms of their works. He also highlighted Haegue Yang’s ‘great feeling for architectural space’, and GaHee Park’s skill in blending various painting traditions ‘through her deftly surreal and playful lens’. He also noted that the two artists’ works are ‘both accessible and richly layered’.
Terminal 6 at JFK Airport is a new terminal under construction on the site of the old terminal, which was also known as the Sundrome. The original Terminal 6, designed by I. M. Pei, was recognised for its architectural significance when it first introduced the all-glass mullions in 1969. However, due to a decline in demand and the expansion of Terminal 5, the old Terminal 6 was demolished in 2011. The new Terminal 6, designed by Corgan Associates, features an asymmetrical structure, in contrast to the old building, with a funnel-shape that narrows toward the west. This is the reason why large-scale installations are expected to be concentrated in the spacious eastern section. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is investing approximately 30 billion USD to redevelop New York’s major airports (JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark Airport). Terminal 6 is scheduled for partial completion in 2026, with final completion expected in 2028.
Render image of JFK Airport / Image courtesy of JFK Millenium Partners
