Works of art

Embracing art in terminal buildings might not be the newest fad in the world, but it appears to be one that airports across the globe are taking more seriously than ever before as they strive to create unique experiences for passengers and boost customer satisfaction levels.

Arguably, the most famous art installation of all is the Rijksmuseum at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, which has been showcasing world famous paintings at the Dutch hub for more than 22 years.

And in more recent times new airports such as Incheon International Airport in South Korea and Hamad International Airport in Qatar have embraced art and culture from the get go, between them boasting a series of impressive sculptures, paintings and museums.

Indeed, such is the desire to make an impression that art is being factored into the design of many new terminals being built today, and increasingly across the entire airport campus, to capture the attention of and excite travellers from the moment they arrive at the airport.

Multimedia architecture and sunflowers at Changi’s Terminal 2

Moment Factory in collaboration with design studio BOIFFILS has created two signature multimedia installations aimed at bringing the Garden City’s natural beauty into Changi Airport’s newly renovated Terminal 2. The features support the airport’s goal to be a destination in its own right — a vision that’s repeatedly earned it awards in ACI’s Airport Service Quality (ASQ) customer excellence programme and numerous other accolades.

The Wonderwall is described as a breathtaking four-story digital waterfall nestled between vertical gardens, which utilises a curved LED screen that showcases a mesmerising cascade of water and rock formations. Multiple times an hour, a surreal choreography takes place as the flow dramatically reverses course for a three-and-a-half show set to a bespoke composition by pianist Jean-Michel Blais.

While The Digital Sky is a dreamscape that offers transit passengers a chance to unwind beneath a sprawling digital sky. Mirroring real-time daylight and meteorological conditions via integration with the airport’s weather system, the overhead installation offers an unexpected view of the outside world.

At intervals, the sky transforms into a captivating underwater scene. Embedded within the greenery, an ever-evolving soundscape draws from nearly 100 recordings of local wildlife, spatialised to create an immersive nature experience.

“Our third collaboration with Changi Airport Group allowed us to really push the envelope, both creatively and technically,” says Fady Atallah, creative director at Moment Factory. “With these installations, travellers will get to immerse themselves in Singapore’s nature with two unique experiences in their journey: an awe-inspiring moment at the Wonderfall and a surprising pause under the digital sky in the dreamscape.”

In another pioneering initiative, in September, Singapore Changi unveiled the world’s largest ever display of sunflowers at an airport, with some larger than life sculptures being eight metres tall.

‘A Sunflower Sojourn’ features over 5,000 sunflowers of more than 10 exquisite varieties, beautifully arranged at over 20 locations across all four terminals.

Sunflowers have been synonymous with Changi Airport since the opening of the Sunflower Garden at Terminal 2 departure transit area in 2002.

It is among the many other gardens at the airport, which provide serene havens for travellers on the go to soak in the nature before their flight.

“Our lush gardens at Changi Airport have always been more than just a feature – they are an experience that embodies the warmth and hospitality of our airport,” enthuses CAG’s senior vice president of airport operations development, Ang Siew Min.

Arts and Culture Festival at Hong Kong International Airport

Doing things a little more traditionally this summer is Hong Kong International Airport, which recently launched its HKIA Arts and Culture Festival 2024.

The event, which lasts until October 31, feature a series of art exhibitions showcasing the talent and creativity of Hong Kong artists while promoting Hong Kong’s unique culture to travellers from around the globe.

Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) has partnered with M+, MobArt Gallery, Art Promotion Office of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, and Hong Kong Arts Centre to present art exhibitions that highlight the diversity of the local arts scene.

The festival will include four exhibitions spanning diverse themes, from traditional crafts to digital arts. Visitors can personalise their own postcards of Hong Kong street scenes by using stamps made with ‘Lee Hon Kong Kai’ fonts, a signature calligraphy that commonly used in Hong Kong’s signs since 1970s. Visitors can also receive limited-edition luggage stickers designed by local artists.

Elsewhere, there is a series of gongbi paintings, traditional Chinese paintings delicately and exquisitely outlining natural beauties, which have been transformed via multimedia digital technology into dynamic visuals and interactive artworks at the Ground Transportation Centre.

While the airport’s giant digital screen will feature four animated paintings created by local artists and 260 secondary school students

“As the gateway to Hong Kong, HKIA stands as an ideal venue to showcase the diverse cultural landscape of our vibrant city,” said AAHK’s acting CEO, Vivian Cheung.

“The airport has been providing a valuable platform for both established and emerging local artists to share their work with a global audience since 2015. The Arts and Culture Festival will enrich the journey of every traveller passing through the airport.”