Grand Rapids, Mich. – The new year includes a splash of color and creativity as a new art display is being installed at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport. The airport is working with Kendall College of Art and Design, Ferris State University (KCAD) on rotating art throughout various spaces in the airport terminals, concourses and parking structures.
The art will be displayed in pre-security areas as well as the parking garage, the Grand Hall and various walkways and hallways.
“We are very excited about our new partnership with KCAD to curate art throughout our terminal facility,” said GFIA Executive Director Brian Ryks. “This community partnership will further our efforts to bring local and regional culture into the airport that can be viewed by thousands of people passing through the Gerald R. Ford International Airport each day.”
Two dimensional and three dimensional works from a variety of both KCAD’s Undergraduate and Graduate Programs will be included in the displays.
"We are a region where creativity is all around us, in our businesses, our institutions, our furnishings, our architecture, and even our foods and festivals,” said KCAD President David Rosen. “How wonderful that when we come home or someone new enters our home, the first sight is of this creativity that makes our region special. How wonderful that the last sight that travelers behold leaves an impression of our creativity. I feel honored that KCAD has been asked to help fashion those important impressions that remind us, and that tell others, who we are and what we stand for."
The initial installation from Kendall College of Art and Design, Ferris State University (KCAD) features the work of Graduate Students Laurie Hunt and Matt Gubancsik. Ms. Hunt's prints focus on Michigan lakes and speak of environmental concerns and the fragility of our delicate ecosystem. Mr. Gubancsik's photos explore environments that are illusion and fabricated, but are informed by a sense of awe and the sublime as found in nature.
The art is scheduled to be installed on Tuesday, February 18, 2014.
ABOUT THE GERALD R. FORD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
The Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GFIA) is the second busiest airport in Michigan. The airport served over two million passengers in 2012 and over 6,000 travelers pass through GFIA each day. The Gerald R. Ford International Airport offers non-stop service to 23 major market destinations with 120 daily non-stop flights. The Gerald R. Ford International Airport is managed and operated by the Kent County Department of Aeronautics. GFIA generates over $500 million annually in economic activity throughout West Michigan and employs over 1,800 people. For more information on GFIA visit: www.grr.org or follow the airport on Facebook and/or Twitter: @FlyGRFord.
ABOUT KENDALL COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN
Located in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids, Kendall College of Art and Design is committed to creating lasting impact in West Michigan and beyond through collaborative partnerships, cultural innovation, and an educational model that develops the talent of individuals into a force for intellectual growth, individual creativity, and community engagement. For more information, please visit www.kcad.edu.
