Why would an art historian dedicate a blog post to an airport terminal? Seems ridiculous, no? What creative and artistic contributions to our Central Florida community could a massive airport terminal have?

Well, $2.8 billion worth, apparently!

I recently returned to air travel and flew out of OIA’s epic, brand-spanking new Terminal C. I was excited about this because I had been hearing about all the creative features that were being incorporated into the design and wanted to see if they lived up to all the hype.

I was pleasantly surprised!

First of all, the entire terminal is ginormous (that’s a technical term) so all the artwork has to be large… and it is! Three photo-real paintings that were so huge they were difficult to photograph greeted me right outside of security.

Second, the architects took the word “immersive” to quite literal new heights. Because the terminal is so large and the ceilings so high, this creates an immense space capable of supporting an art installation that is truly immersive.

The Moment Vault is located in the central courtyard of Terminal C and consists of three extremely large, high quality LED walls. Videos and animated graphics are shown on both the insides and outsides of these walls, creating a soothing atmosphere for those who need a bit of calm in the midst of their journey. And this includes audio that is perfectly curated to each specific scene!

The Moment Vault offers some fun, too! All of the videos and graphics rotate through a series of environments that often incorporate those passing through the space into the scene. One scene might project your reflection back at you while another scene maps your physical shape and projects it into the environment on the screen.

Plus, the exterior walls are full of playful nods to all the children (and the young at heart!) passing through on their way to all the fun activities the Sunshine State has to offer.

The Windows on Orlando is another not-to-be-missed art installation. A set of three gigantic LED walls rotate through a series of beautifully filmed scenes indicative of the natural beauty of the Central Florida area. If a visitor stands in front of said panels long enough, it will feel like they’ve traveled throughout our region without ever having left the airport.

I think that the best part of the Windows on Orlando screens is the inclusion of the artwork of The Highwaymen. That’s right! You can see three paintings – blown up to enormous scale! – by Mary Ann Carroll, Roy McClendon and Willie Daniels.

What are your thoughts on OIA’s Terminal C? Do you think it’s a good idea to include artwork in public spaces like this or is it just a waste of taxpayer money? Share your thoughts with me!

If you’d like to read more about Terminal C, please check out these links…