Art is returning to the Springfield-Branson National Airport now that flooring renovations are nearly complete.
Randy Bacon’s “The Life I Choose,” produced in partnership with Abilities First, will be the first installation in the airport’s Sky Gallery since the carpet was replaced with terrazzo, according to SGF. It features portraits and first-person stories from people of all abilities in southwest Missouri.
The project debuted in Springfield this summer and is now moving into public spaces across the region.
The airport is planning a special launch event Wednesday, Sept. 16, from 4 to 4:30 p.m.
Springfield Airport spokesperson Ren Lueberring said having art enhances the passenger experience.
"Public art always contributes to quality of place efforts in any organization. And when we have more public art, we have a better experience for those who get to experience the space," she said. "And so public art remains an exciting opportunity for us to connect with passengers on a rotating basis. We have two new shows every year, and we're so excited to bring art truly back inside of the airport, we had our ring sculpture that is near the terminal entrance, but we haven't had art on display for almost a year."
SGF Director of Aviation David Schaumburg said in a statement that art returning to the airport is “worth celebrating.”
The airport works with the Springfield-Regional Arts Council, which curates their exhibits.
The exhibit will remain on display at the airport through December.
The previous wooden display area at the airport is not coming back – it’s now part of Ozarks Farm Stop in downtown Springfield, which recently added an art gallery.
Lueberring said they’re focusing on the Sky Gallery spaces, which they’ve had since 2010 -- those are the windowed alcoves in the south part of the terminal -- and on the eastern wall by the American Airlines ticket counters.
"The Sky Gallery is one of the most visible public art galleries in the Ozarks, open 24/7 for viewing by 3,500+ passengers a day," according to SGF.
