JFKIAT and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) have expanded JFK Airport’s T4 Arts & Culture Program to include photography, murals and a hologram installation of animals in the Bronx Zoo.
Passengers traveling through T4 can encounter a variety of animals from the Bronx Zoo – from sloths to alligators, pelicans, warthogs and more – through an immersive holographic experience featuring Jim Breheny, director of Bronx Zoo. The hologram is part of a new partnership between JFKIAT and the Wildlife Conservation Society, which features a mix of engaging and informative content, including micro-videos that showcase terrestrial and marine animals and a short film that highlights the work of the Wildlife Conservation Society around the world. This feature is intended to bring the outdoors inside JFK’s busiest terminal and offer passengers a connection with one of New York’s nature preservations.
“The T4 Arts and Culture Program is an amazing platform to highlight the artists and cultural organizations in New York City,” said John Calvelli, executive vice president for public affairs at the Wildlife Conservation Society. “Through our partnership with T4, we will be educating visitors to the terminal about wildlife and how we all can protect nature. Potentially, 25 million people will see why New York City’s arts and culture community is one of the greatest in the world. At WCS, we are honored to be a part of this community project and we hope visitors to T4 especially enjoy the holograms featuring Bronx Zoo director Jim Breheny and animals from our great zoo.”
This hologram installation forms part of JFKIAT’s expanded T4 Arts & Culture program, which presents a curated, ongoing series of installations, exhibits and performances within T4 throughout the year that represent the full New York City experience, from local art to food, culture and beyond. The program also features a digital and static photography exhibit, in collaboration with the Cradle of Aviation Museum, a mural representing Queens by local artist Zeehan Wazed, and a series of photographs captured by T4 employees sharing their passion for aviation.
Reflecting on his home in Queens, Wazed depicted an intricate design through his painted mural that is intended to demonstrate the borough’s heritage as the gathering place of New York’s diverse communities – and T4’s identity as the world’s gateway to New York City. From the henna on the streets of Hillside to the boomboxes on Jamaica Avenue, the Unisphere and more, Wazed’s mural – located at Gate B25 – has been designed to reflect the hustle and bustle of Queens as well as the communities that intertwine to form the diverse tapestry of New York City, creating a sense of place and belonging for passengers traveling through T4.
“Having grown up close to JFK Airport in Jamaica, Queens, I strive to encapsulate all of Queens and its many cultures and demographics through my artwork,” said Wazed. “I hope this installation will commemorate the surrounding neighborhood which I call home.”
Launching in celebration of Aviation History Month, the From Idlewild to JFK exhibition presents digital and static photography in collaboration with the Cradle of Aviation Museum that “speaks to the history of JFK”, PANYJ says. Located in the A-Concourse, the installation tells the story of how JFK airport was established, highlighting the evolution of its predecessor, Idlewild Airport, from a group of makeshift buildings into a ‘jet-set city’ with spectacular buildings.
“The Cradle of Aviation Museum is proud to collaborate with JFK Terminal 4 in this new exhibit,” said Andrew Parton, president of the Cradle of Aviation Museum. “As an institution dedicated to preserving New York’s aviation history, we are thrilled to have this opportunity to showcase the history of JFK.”
As passengers make their way through T4’s retail hall, they can browse a gallery of photographs of various airplanes taken by terminal employees. The exhibition features: Vincenzo Pace, director of airport solutions at Unity Electric; Shubham Singh, an electrical and computer engineer, and assistant project manager for Terminal Redevelopment at JFKIAT; and Edilson Norena, airside operations manager for JFKIAT.
“From a one-of-a-kind Queens-centric mural to a historical exhibition, exceptional photographs by our very own T4 employees, and a holographic Bronx Zoo exhibition, we are very proud to present a series of art installations that will encourage travelers to learn more about the diverse communities of New York City,” said Roel Huinink, CEO of JFKIAT. “At T4, we are committed to fostering a vibrant environment and providing a best-in-class customer experience, and we look forward to introducing more local programs that create a distinct sense of place within T4 and help to create unique and memorable experiences for our passengers.”
“The Port Authority understands the importance of artwork in transportation spaces to provide a sense of place along a journey, which is why we have incorporated local art into our planning and designs of our airport redevelopment work in New York and New Jersey,” said Kevin O’Toole, chairman of the port authority. “As we continue to add to our growing collection, our facilities become more than just a place to catch a bus, a train or a flight: we provide welcoming spaces that entice travelers to come early and stick around for a show or a museum-worthy art gallery.”
“Inspiring public art that establishes a uniquely New York sense of place is one of the cornerstones of the Port Authority’s transformation of the region’s airports,” said Rick Cotton, executive director of the port authority. “These new art installations at Terminal 4 reflect the diversity of our region and offer passengers a compelling look back at the history of Queens and the nation’s preeminent gateway to the world.”
Read more of the latest passenger experience updates from the passenger terminal industry, here.