- August 22, 2025
Many airports are brightening up their public spaces with displays of innovative art and sculpture, some illustrating local culture or wildlife, some promoting events and some which are just plain weird. BILL READ FRAeS reports.
Think of airports and what images come to mind? Soulless concrete buildings, lots of queues and endless lines of retail outlets?
Think again. Many airports are brightening up their public spaces with displays of innovative art and sculpture, some illustrating local culture or wildlife, some promoting events and some which is just plain weird.
Balloons and stunt planes
The entrance court to the new Terminal 2 at London Heathrow airport features a huge 77 tonne, 78m long twisting aluminium sculpture called Slipstream. Created by Richard Wilson RA, the sculpture’s form is inspired by the imagined flight path of a small stunt plane.
The departure lounge of Heathrow T2 also features a number of other imaginative pieces of art, including an orange neon framework of a London taxi cab. Created by artist Benedict Radcliffe, the plinth features an etching giving step-by-step directions from the artist’s workshop in Shoreditch to Terminal 2.
Between May and August this year the departure lounge also featured a 15m high hot air balloon hovering over the Burberry pop-up store. The Burberry Balloon was inspired by the achievements of Air Commodore Edward Maitland, who, with fellow balloonists Auguste Gaudron and Charles Turner, travelled 1,117 miles from the Crystal Palace in London to Russia in 1908, and established the British long-distance, inflight record. Maitland wore Burberry gabardine suiting for his historic flight in the ‘Mammoth’ balloon, protecting him from the severe hardships of cold at high altitude.”
Poets and trees
Two passenger departure areas at Dublin Airport have illustrations of trees and landscapes on pillars and walls accompanied by quotes from a number of Irish poets and writers such as Padraig Pearse, William Butler Yeats, James Joyce and Katherine Tynan. These designs are intended to showcase the unique character of Ireland’s natural environment.
Birds and bottles
Another artistic airport is Philadelphia which has a shape of an aircraft made up of birds.
For those passengers more interested in earthly pleasures, Philadelphia Airport also has a sculpture constructed from empty beer bottles.
Terminal wildlife
Animals are a popular subject for airport sculptures. Gate No 3 at Juan Santamaría Airport in Costa Rica features a giant frog clinging to the inside windows. The sculpture, made by artists Francesco Bracci and Zoltan Duran, is constructed from microchip waste, plastic bottles and pieces of glass bottles. The frog is part of an exhibition Paraíso Infinito de Posibilidades (Paradise of Endless Possibilities) which aims to bring tourists closer to Costa Rican culture and natural beauty through photographs and sculptures by national artists.
Possibly less inspiring to passengers are the giant fire ants walking on the ceiling of the baggage terminal Atlanta airport.
Many levelled rabbit
One of the ultimate wildlife airport sculptures can be found at Central Terminal B at Sacramento Airport in the US which has an eye-catching sculpture of a giant red rabbit leaping toward towards an open suitcase. Entitled ‘Leap’, the 56ft steel and aluminium rabbit is intended to appear to have leapt through the glass from the green space on the south side of the terminal and is diving into a suitcase on the floor of baggage claim with a liquid vortex opening on the top.
According to its creator, Denver artist, Lawrence Argent, the rabbit works on many levels with powerful symbolism throughout civilization. Not only is it a symbol of good luck but it also represents the emotions of drive, desire, anticipation, anxiety, hope, despair, frustration, exhaustion, patience, contentment, success, joy and attachment that ‘rattle in our personal baggage as we transit through the hubs of air travel’. Argent explains how “there is a joy in reconciliation with our baggage we see our bags surface from the mouth of the conveyor, as the part that was separated is now joined to form the happy union of owner and owned. Our baggage defines the nature of this emotion of connection with our ‘stuff’ and who we are as individuals. We all have different ‘stuff’ that is our comfort, but it fuels a plethora of metaphorical implications and associations that give rise to us as individualistic entities that participate in the world.”
He concludes: “It is this ‘connection’ that drove me towards finding two things that could exude in essence, a need for equivalent resolve, two parts that make a whole. After much deliberation I chose a rabbit and a suitcase with an opening, a void’.”
Baggage tower
The older Terminal A at Sacramento airport also features a sculpture of two giant towers of baggage. Entitled ‘Samson’ this sculpture was created by Brian Goggin.
Flying vegetables
One of the strangest airport sculptures can be found at Gate E-16 at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson airport which features a giant flying corn cob. Named ‘Corncorde’ the carved wooden sculpture was made by artist Craig Nutt for the 1996 Olympics and was inspired by the sweptback wings of jetliners as the corn leaps into flight and propels upwards to cruising altitude.
Corncorde is accompanied by a second sculpture in Nutt ‘Flying Vegetables’ series which features a motorised carrot control tower. Entitled ‘Imperator’ the 1.05m high carrot was inspired by air traffic control towers, radar dishes and a grandfather clock. “As well as being the name of a type of long carrot, the title Imperator is a title given to Roman rulers and conquering generals and refers to the primacy of time in ruling the activities in an airport,” explains the artist. “The clockworks are in a rotating butterbean perched on the tip of the carrot.”
Demigods and demons
Airport sculpture can also illustrate local culture, belief and legend. Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport has a huge sculpture entitled ‘Tug of war’ which illustrates a scene from the Hindu legend of Puranas and ‘the churning of the ocean of milk’. In this story, the Devas demigods cooperated in a tug of war with the Asuras demons to churn the sea to extract the elixir of immortality. Each team holds onto one end of the king of serpent Vasuki (aka Naga which is coiled around Mt Mandara.
Wellington Hobbit
Airport sculpture also extends into the world of literature, film and fantasy. To promote the recent film adaptations of The Hobbit, Wellington Airport in New Zealand featured an extraordinary sculpture featuring a giant Gollum catching fish.
Jurassic Airport
If you like dinosaurs, then Terminal 1 at Toronto Pearson Airport has a prehistoric installation of an Allosaurus bearing down on an Othnielia that has fallen to the ground. Entitled ‘A Scene from the Late Jurassic’, the two dinosaur skeletons came from the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM).
Singapore for sculpture
However, one of the best airports to see innovative art is Singapore Changi. Not only does the airport include such unlikely visitor features as a butterfly park but also features a variety of permanent and temporary installations for the admiration of passengers. In February 2016, during the week of the Singapore Air Show, one of the terminals showcased a full-size Star Wars fighter (illustrated at the beginning of this article), as well as a sculpture illustrating the 2016 Year of the Monkey.
The newly opened T4 at Singapore has yet more sculptures on show, including Les Oiseaux (The Birds), made of stainless steel wires which can be seen from the Arrival and Departure Halls. According to the airport, the three birds symbolise the connection between sky and earth, dreams and reality; reflecting the poetry of daily life. A 650ft ‘Petalclouds’ centrepiece visible from the transit area and check-in and arrivals halls is formed from a combination of six structures by Berlin-based ART+COM Studios that moves in sync with animated lighting and music.
The new Singapore terminal also features restaurants and shops set in ‘Heritage Zone’ facades that mimic traditional Peranakan shophouses from the 1880s to the 1950s. Two of the facades feature a ‘digital wall’ which transforms into a theatre to show a theatrical performance entitled ‘Peranakan Love Story’. Set in 1930s Singapore, the cultural performance features a video played on a 10m x 6m LED screen spanning two shopfront bays with a stage setting reflecting the living rooms of two Peranakan homes. The six-minute ‘musical by composer Dick Lee tells the story of a romance between two musician-neighbours who fall in love.
Bill Read
8 August 2017
Source: Royal Aeronautical Society
Cancel anytime
Web Master
Using our website
You may use the The Middle Land website subject to the Terms and Conditions set out on this page. Visit this page regularly to check the latest Terms and Conditions. Access and use of this site constitutes your acceptance of the Terms and Conditions in-force at the time of use.
Intellectual property
Names, images and logos displayed on this site that identify The Middle Land are the intellectual property of New San Cai Inc. Copying any of this material is not permitted without prior written approval from the owner of the relevant intellectual property rights.
Requests for such approval should be directed to the competition committee.
Please provide details of your intended use of the relevant material and include your contact details including name, address, telephone number, fax number and email.
Linking policy
You do not have to ask permission to link directly to pages hosted on this website. However, we do not permit our pages to be loaded directly into frames on your website. Our pages must load into the user’s entire window.
The Middle Land is not responsible for the contents or reliability of any site to which it is hyperlinked and does not necessarily endorse the views expressed within them. Linking to or from this site should not be taken as endorsement of any kind. We cannot guarantee that these links will work all the time and have no control over the availability of the linked pages.
Submissions
All information, data, text, graphics or any other materials whatsoever uploaded or transmitted by you is your sole responsibility. This means that you are entirely responsible for all content you upload, post, email or otherwise transmit to the The Middle Land website.
Virus protection
We make every effort to check and test material at all stages of production. It is always recommended to run an anti-virus program on all material downloaded from the Internet. We cannot accept any responsibility for any loss, disruption or damage to your data or computer system, which may occur while using material derived from this website.
Disclaimer
The website is provided ‘as is’, without any representation or endorsement made, and without warranty of any kind whether express or implied.
Your use of any information or materials on this website is entirely at your own risk, for which we shall not be liable. It is your responsibility to ensure any products, services or information available through this website meet your specific requirements.
We do not warrant the operation of this site will be uninterrupted or error free, that defects will be corrected, or that this site or the server that makes it available are free of viruses or represent the full functionality, accuracy and reliability of the materials. In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including, without limitation, loss of profits, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damages whatsoever arising from the use, or loss of data, arising out of – or in connection with – the use of this website.
Last Updated: September 11, 2024
New San Cai Inc. (hereinafter “The Middle Land,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) owns and operates www.themiddleland.com, its affiliated websites and applications (our “Sites”), and provides related products, services, newsletters, and other offerings (together with the Sites, our “Services”) to art lovers and visitors around the world.
This Privacy Policy (the “Policy”) is intended to provide you with information on how we collect, use, and share your personal data. We process personal data from visitors of our Sites, users of our Services, readers or bloggers (collectively, “you” or “your”). Personal data is any information about you. This Policy also describes your choices regarding use, access, and correction of your personal information.
If after reading this Policy you have additional questions or would like further information, please email at middleland@protonmail.com.
PERSONAL DATA WE COLLECT AND HOW WE USE IT
We collect and process personal data only for lawful reasons, such as our legitimate business interests, your consent, or to fulfill our legal or contractual obligations.
Information You Provide to Us
Most of the information Join Talents collects is provided by you voluntarily while using our Services. We do not request highly sensitive data, such as health or medical information, racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, etc. and we ask that you refrain from sending us any such information.
Here are the types of personal data that you voluntarily provide to us:
As a registered users or customers, you may ask us to review or retrieve emails sent to your business. We will access these emails to provide these services for you.
We use the personal data you provide to us for the following business purposes:
Information Obtained from Third-Party Sources
We collect and publish biographical and other information about users, which we use to promote the articles and our bloggers who use our sites. If you provide personal information about others, or if others give us your information, we will only use that information for the specific reason for which it was provided.
Information We Collect by Automated Means
Log Files
The site uses your IP address to help diagnose server problems, and to administer our website. We use your IP addresses to analyze trends and gather broad demographic information for aggregate use.
Every time you access our Site, some data is temporarily stored and processed in a log file, such as your IP addresses, the browser types, the operating systems, the recalled page, or the date and time of the recall. This data is only evaluated for statistical purposes, such as to help us diagnose problems with our servers, to administer our sites, or to improve our Services.
Do Not Track
Your browser or device may include “Do Not Track” functionality. Our information collection and disclosure practices, and the choices that we provide to customers, will continue to operate as described in this Privacy Policy, whether or not a “Do Not Track” signal is received.
HOW WE SHARE YOUR INFORMATION
We may share your personal data with third parties only in the ways that are described in this Privacy Policy. We do not sell, rent, or lease your personal data to third parties, and We does not transfer your personal data to third parties for their direct marketing purposes.
We may share your personal data with third parties as follows:
There may be other instances where we share your personal data with third parties based on your consent.
HOW WE STORE AND SECURE YOUR INFORMATION
We retain your information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you Services. If you wish to cancel your account, please contact us middleland@protonmail.com. We will retain and use your personal data as necessary to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements.
All you and our data are stored in the server in the United States, we do not sales or transfer your personal data to the third party. All information you provide is stored on a secure server, and we generally accepted industry standards to protect the personal data we process both during transmission and once received.
YOUR RIGHTS/OPT OUT
You may correct, update, amend, delete/remove, or deactivate your account and personal data by making the change on your Blog on www.themiddleland.com or by emailing middleland@protonmail.com. We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe.
You may choose to stop receiving Join Talents newsletters or marketing emails at any time by following the unsubscribe instructions included in those communications, or you can email us at middleland@protonmail.com
LINKS TO OTHER WEBSITES
The Middle Land include links to other websites whose privacy practices may differ from that of ours. If you submit personal data to any of those sites, your information is governed by their privacy statements. We encourage you to carefully read the Privacy Policy of any website you visit.
NOTE TO PARENTS OR GUARDIANS
Our Services are not intended for use by children, and we do not knowingly or intentionally solicit data from or market to children under the age of 18. We reserve the right to delete the child’s information and the child’s registration on the Sites.
PRIVACY POLICY CHANGES
We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes to our personal data processing practices. If any material changes are made, we will notify you on the Sites prior to the change becoming effective. You are encouraged to periodically review this Policy.
HOW TO CONTACT US
If you have any questions about our Privacy Policy, please email middleland@protonmail.com
Are you sure? Do you want to logout of the account?
The Michelin brothers created the guide, which included information like maps, car mechanics listings, hotels and petrol stations across France to spur demand.
The guide began to award stars to fine dining restaurants in 1926.
At first, they offered just one star, the concept was expanded in 1931 to include one, two and three stars. One star establishments represent a “very good restaurant in its category”. Two honour “excellent cooking, worth a detour” and three reward “exceptional cuisine, worth a
Thank you for your participation,
please Log in or Sign up to Vote
123Sign in to your account
