Seventeen art exhibits - a rotating showcase of works by Philadelphia-area artists or collectors - grace a 1.25-mile stretch of terminals at Philadelphia International.
Although many airports have permanent art collections, Philadelphia is one of the few, along with San Francisco and Phoenix, to offer changing exhibits, said Leah Douglas, exhibitions director.
"Each show stays up six months. I keep it regional," she said. "We are supporting the artists working here, and the arts institutions, and giving people traveling through an idea of what Philly has to offer."
In 1998, then-city aviation director Dennis Bouey wanted to start a rotating art exhibit patterned after the one at San Francisco International Airport.
Douglas, gallery director at the University of the Arts at the time, was hired to start the airport exhibition program.
"I was always interested in the idea of presenting exhibitions in a public way, as opposed to a gallery or museum, where you feel your audience is so small," said Douglas, a graduate of the Temple University Tyler School of Art. "Here, I say every show is a blockbuster."
Last year, 30.6 million travelers passed through Philadelphia airport, and 19,000 employees have credentials to work in the airport.
Douglas scours local galleries and the Internet, where most artists have websites. "I'm interested in all forms, everything. I try to make it very eclectic, so hopefully there's something for everyone."
Because an airport is not a museum, and people are moving through fast, "color is very important," Douglas said. "For each show, we pick a color that will enhance the artwork, but also make it stand out from the typical grays of the airport."
