May 7, 2015
What a piece of eye candy for the weary pilgrim. A light-suffused airport terminal that matches San Diego's vaunted sunny, temperate, clear-sky environment with refreshing art work and informative installations...from the two main terminals to the post-security area (which I didn't photograph because i couldn't return after deplaning), and the bathrooms!
This was a treat as I landed here for the annual Gator By The Bay Zydeco, Blues, and Crawfish Festival!
A shiny replica of Charles Lindberg's "Spirit of St. Louis" is suspended from the ceiling in Terminal 2. I first glimpsed it at eye level from the glass enclosed walkway overlooking the terminal as I left the security area after deplaning from Dallas Fort Worth. Once on the street level, great photo opp, the silvery aircraft at a jaunty angle overhead. Lindberg's plane was built by Ryan Airlines in San Diego. The Spirit of St Louis, the custom-built, single engine, single-seat monoplane, was flown solo by Charles Lindbergh on May 20–21, 1927, on the first non-stop flight from New York to Paris. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirit_of_St._Louis
Display case on the street level contains a model of the plane's motor and other paraphernia from the flight.
Donna at the information booth sees me taking photos. "There's artwork all over the airport," she says. "if you want to take more photos, start right over there at the "Selfie" installation we just added recently. I can't believe how the artist made the clown's hair out all those balloons!"
Donna shows me a binder with photos and locations of the artwork."There's even some in the bathrooms!" she says. San Diego is aggresively arty!
Public buildings like this are getting hip to social media. Selfies are all the rage, why not give travelers a colorful and creative space to shoot pics- free advertising for "SAN", San Diego International Airport.
pt isn't the only one who wants in on the action
These murals,installations and displays adorn the walls of Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, inlcluding entrances to the bathrooms!
Displays of student artwork, elaborate dioramas, and artifacts of San Diego history inform the attentive traveler.
Light pours into the terminals, bathing everything inside with a fresh invigorating glow.
Architects built high cantilevered ceilings to maximize the ever-changing daylight to bathe the interior.
Artwork outside the terminals
Who says that exterior concrete walls have to be plain exterior concrete walls?
This is urban architecture at its best: functional and aesthetically fabulous. The skyline of San Diego beckons.
Photos by Paul A. Tamburello, Jr. with a big thanks to Donna for showing me "the book" about airport art at San Diego International Airport.
Your into to SA Airport is enough reason to go to SA!
Posted by: Bambi Good | May 10, 2015 at 11:43 PM
PT!
Thanks so much for this! Going to be there in 2 weeks. Hope you're good
Posted by: Debbie S | May 10, 2015 at 11:55 PM
Hi Paul,
Thanks for sharing these pics! I have not been to San Diego Airport, and love having this travelog to pour through. Worthy of sending to the globe for the Sunday Travel section!
Life is truly about the journey…
Posted by: Cathleen Cavanaugh | May 12, 2015 at 10:40 AM
Paul,
Your post about the San Diego Airport made me think about my recent trip to Atlanta and to realize what I had not “seen” or paid enough attention to on my hurried walk through the terminals. I love that you took the time to “see” and comment on the art that was right before you. Maybe the sun-drenched landscape made the difference as opposed to moving through virtual tunnels on a people mover. As in some of your other posts you are giving me cause to slow down a bit and look around, even look up, and savor what is around me. Thank you.
The “mission” of the Atlanta International Airport’s art program is a full one:
Welcome to Hartsfield-Jackson's Art Program
The Airport Art Program develops and integrates art, exhibits and performances into the fabric of the Airport environment for the benefit of passengers and employees. The Art Program has three major components: commissioning artists to create site-specific artwork, presenting rotating exhibitions, and scheduling performing arts series. Each part of the program strives to meet the Department of Aviation's goal of becoming the world's best airport by exceeding customer expectations. http://www.atlanta-airport.com/Passenger/Art%20Program/
It is achieved much more fully than I gave credit for on speed walk through. You would think that my having been in Atlanta for a museum conference that I would have given a little more time to the art around me. In any case, maybe the next traveler will having seen your post.
I will admit that even on my trip in December, I did not stop to look at the art in full, giving a cursory read to the labels, a nod to the fine work. Guilty and too hurried. Can I arrange with the person picking me up for another 15 minutes, yes, why not?
I have known for some time that airports are displaying art, sometimes in the fashion of museum with information on the artists and the work. In the case of San Diego, history, art, and interactive spaces have become part of the landscape to inform and entertain the travelers of any age. One of my students was planning to do a thesis on this trend but abandoned the topic, sadly.
So thank you for the post and the reminder to stop and appreciate art (and possibly music (in Atlanta) and fun (in San Diego).
Kathy
Posted by: Katherine Burton Jones | May 12, 2015 at 11:16 AM