I’ve been spending a lot of time at the Indianapolis International Airport lately (mostly waiting on my husband’s flight to land, or dropping him off for yet another business trip). Everyone who uses the airport, which opened about two years ago, has probably marveled at its modern look and beautiful open spaces. Lately I’ve been paying special attention to the remarkable public art it offers travelers and visitors.
JetStream, by Rob Fisher
While some of the pieces require a ticket and therefore access to one of the concourses, there is still much to see even for those not taking off. I enjoy the variety of the offerings, from the whimsical “JetStream,” which looks like floating jellyfish high above Civic Plaza, to the modern and electrifying “Connections,” which brightens your path into the terminal from the parking area, to the earthy “Elemental Indiana,” tucked away behind the main restrooms. These pieces are accessible to all airport visitors.
If you find yourself with plenty of time waiting on your flight, consider going on an art hunt using this brochure as your guide. For even more information about the airport and its history, you might want to pick up a recently published book called IND: The Art of It All. It profiles the art on display, as well as the architecture of the terminal itself, and even includes a few recipes from some of the local vendors at the airport. Proceeds from the sale of the book supports the IND Foundation, a nonprofit that was established to ensure that art always remains a central component of the terminal’s design and asthetic.
