Look up, look around, but don’t look on the ground. Because, the latest art projects to enhance airports are here. The Wise Traveller catches up with the latest exhibitions and installations.
Istanbul, Turkey
At one of the world's busiest airports, Istanbul Airport, a 38m high sculpture by Turkish artist Hayri Karay has been installed and is now on public display. The sculpture won first prize in the İGA ART Art Projects Competition, one of Turkey's major art initiatives.
İGA Istanbul Airport CEO Selahattin Bilgen said İGA ART has carried out numerous initiatives throughout the year, noting the sculpture marks their first encounter with Karay's work through the competition.
Emphasising the dynamic nature of the work, he added: "We do not see this 38-metre moving piece as a static object, but as a living process completed through the gaze and movement of each passenger. We hope every visitor passing through will find a personal meaning and reflection of their own inner journey in it."
Karay's artwork was dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey.
Birmingham, UK
Birmingham Airport has unveiled a new Icons Wall, an arts installation celebrating and showcasing talent from across the West Midlands.
Departing passengers will have the opportunity to see the wall that features Ozzy Osbourne, UB40, Benjamin Zephaniah, Jasper Carrott, Steven Knight, Glynn Purnell, Hannah Hampton, Ellie Symonds and the Peaky Blinders.
The icons were chosen based on their West Midlands birthplace to celebrate their legacy and pay homage to the region's sports, arts, and cultural heritage and talent.
Al Titterington, Terminal Operations Director of Birmingham Airport, said: "When planning the Icons Wall, we wanted to give a sense of place but also a local feel that our passengers can resonate with."
The Icons Wall, which has been fully endorsed by all those represented on it, has formed part of the airport's redevelopment to cater for its future growth.
Philadelphia, USA
Travellers passing through Philadelphia International Airport now have new reasons to slow down. The airport is home to three new art installations that celebrate the city, its creativity and community through photography and murals.
Collective Works of a Community Darkroom, created in partnership with Fleisher Art Memorial, highlights decades of photography made by Philadelphians. Founded in 1898, Fleisher Art Memorial has been a place where people have learned, experimented, and told their stories through film for more than 50 years. The exhibition is presented in celebration of the nation's 250th anniversary in 2026. It is located in Terminal F, by gate F7.
Philly Starts Here, by Philadelphia muralist, ceramicist, and animator Isabella Akhtarshenas, brings the city's energy to life in the Customs Arrival area in Terminal A-West. Akhtarshenas' mural is a love letter to Philadelphia, featuring iconic landmarks and references.
The newest addition is an expansive artwork by Emily White, located in the lower level A-West International Corridor. It is a lively ceiling mural that highlights Philadelphia landmarks. The design centres on City Hall and demonstrates how the city's neighbourhoods branch out from it.
Phoenix, USA
A new, immersive exhibition at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is casting a light on passengers, inviting them to explore its spiritual and transformative qualities through a wide range of media.
Spectral Alchemy, curated by the Phoenix Airport Museum, features works by 15 Arizona artists and transforms the Terminal 4, Level 3 Museum Gallery into a luminous environment that promotes calm and contemplation.
Each artist offers their own interpretation of light, from cosmic and celestial imagery to expressions of "inner light," using materials such as paint, neon, glass, and digital animation.
Visitors approaching the gallery cannot miss the large-scale video installation by Phoenix-based artist Kenaim Al-Shatti. Spanning nearly 30 feet, the immersive artwork envelops viewers in a dreamlike, moving image that feels like stepping into a living painting.
The exhibition also features collaborative mixed-media works with neon, emphasising light's physical presence. Paintings by Phoenix artist Pierston Doctor present visual narratives rooted in generational storytelling about the sky, while Tucson artist Christina Thomas explores themes of inner light and healing in her painting, Bail Out My Spirit.
Singapore
Kinetic Rain is a mesmerising art installation at Singapore Changi Airport's Terminal 1 featuring 1,216 droplets that move to resemble flight movements.
Measuring 9.8m by 4m, each sculpture can form 16 different shapes, ranging from the abstract to the familiar, such as an airplane, a hot-air balloon, and even a dragon. Each shape represents the movement of flight through deliberate, fluid movements.
Created over 20 months, Kinetic Rain comprises 180g of copper-plated aluminium droplets, of which the choreography is controlled by a set of high-precision motors.
The project is the brainchild of artists, programmers, and technologists who analysed space, passenger flow, and the bustle of activity at the airport to create an artwork that enhances the identity of Terminal 1.
Andy Probert is a freelance journalist whose work about global travel news, aviation, business and human-interest features has appeared internationally in print and digital formats.
