JFK’s ongoing $19 billion transformation project continues to bring one of the nation’s busiest airports into the 21st-century, with two new terminals, a new ground transportation center, and a simplified roadway network.
But that’s not to say The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has forgotten about the airport’s existing terminals. In fact, JFK’s Terminal 7 just got a brand new public art exhibit to impress the 2,000 travelers who pass through daily.
Brooklyn artist, Ron Bass, has put together the terminal’s first major art installation with the help of JFK Millennium Partners. His creations span four wall murals in both the departures and arrivals area to create a connection between domestic and international passengers with New York’s irresistible spirit. When explaining his exhibit, Bass said:
I wanted to create a free-flowing and abstract New York story. A story that is vibrant, engaging, fun, and representative of the diverse cultures, art, sound, taste, and feel of my beloved city. I’m approaching this body of work as a first line of defense for the many travelers arriving to visit NYC, as well as paying homage to all the employees and staff, residents, and natives returning home. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and the word ‘LOVE’ will be present physically and emotionally, and that is my gift to everyone who comes across this four-piece collection.
The four murals are titled below:
- “Dear NY” (📍 Arrivals)
- “Unified” – (📍 Gates 7/8)
- “I (really) LOVE NY” – (📍 Currency Exchange near Gates 5/6)
- “Destination: New Heights” – (📍 Gate 9)
They will remain on view until 2026. By then, the 54-year-old terminal will be decommissioned to make room for the second construction phase of Terminal 6. To continue Port Authority and JMP’s efforts to create world-class terminals, 18 artists (10 of them local to NYC) will be commissioned to create suspended installations, sculptures, glass mosaics and more in the new Terminal 6.
“New York is the cultural capital of the nation, so there is no better way to create a unique sense of place at the nation’s busiest international gateway than by including original, inspiring works of public art at Kennedy Airport,” said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton. “Whether at our existing terminals or soon at the new terminals that are currently under construction, we are elevating the passenger experience with stunning works of public art that enhance the journey from curb to gate.”