Nieuport Aviation, in partnership with Toronto-based photographer Ajani Charles, has unveiled the Project T-Dot exhibit in the passenger terminal at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.
Project T-Dot is the largest art installation ever at the airport and depicts candid images of Toronto’s most renowned hip-hop figures, as well as many others who are lesser-known but influential in Toronto’s hip-hop scene, providing travelers with the opportunity to engage with the culture of the city as they pass through Billy Bishop Airport.
Passengers traveling through Billy Bishop Airport will be greeted with 60 large-scale photographic panels in the terminal’s atrium alongside an interactive touchscreen where they can learn more about Toronto’s hip-hop culture, community and history by exploring engaging supplementary information.
Project T-Dot will be on display at the airport for the duration of 2024. In keeping with the interactive nature of the exhibit, travelers are encouraged to share their own thoughts and experiences of the art on social media using the hashtag #projecttdot.
Project T-Dot, which premiered at Toronto City Hall and Nathan Phillips Square in 2022, presents a definitive visual story that sheds new light on the city’s hip-hop scene and features instantly recognizable subjects such as Drake, The Weeknd, Director X, Kardinal Offishall, Jessie Reyez, Jully Black, Master T, Maestro Fresh Wes, and organizations like The Remix Project, Honey Jam, Manifesto Community Projects, October’s Very Own, and MuchMusic, among many others.
Reflecting the diversity of the hip-hop subculture, the exhibit features members of the 2SLGBTQ+, black and indigenous communities, women, youth from equity-deserving neighborhoods, recent immigrants and other marginalized groups.
“As the owner and operator of the passenger terminal at Billy Bishop Airport, Nieuport Aviation is committed to not only playing a vital role in connecting travelers to the places they want to be, but also to connecting our neighbors and travelers Toronto’s vibrant culture,” said Neil Pakey, president and CEO of Nieuport Aviation. “We’re pleased to be partnering with a talent like Ajani Charles to present this one-of-a-kind exhibit to our valued passengers, employees and community members.”
“We are honoured to be joining our partners Nieuport Aviation in unveiling Project T-Dot at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. This large-scale installation reflects Toronto’s vibrant hip-hop culture and the contributions of some of this city’s most renowned figures on the scene,” added RJ Steenstra, president and CEO of PortsToronto.
“Thank you to Nieuport Aviation and the City of Toronto for bringing this interactive, engaging artwork to the terminal where it will be accessible to both passengers and the public, helping to bring people together, generate conversation and make the important connections that we strive to make at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport even deeper.”
“I have dedicated 18 years of my life and a significant part of my consciousness to documenting the inspiring, talented, resourceful, and diverse individuals and organizations that define Toronto’s unique hip-hop culture, community, and history,” commented photographer Ajani Charles. “I am grateful for the opportunity to introduce the general public and millions of travelers to one of Toronto’s most influential subcultures through my latest exhibit at Billy Bishop Airport. I’d like to thank Nieuport Aviation, PortsToronto, Sony Music Entertainment Canada, and other dedicated partners like the City of Toronto, Canon Canada and the Scotiabank Contact Photography Festival.”
Read more of the latest displays and signage updates from the passenger terminal industry, here.