Photos courtesy of Salt Lake City International Airport

From its majestic mountain ranges to its rich red-rock landscapes, Utah’s dazzling beauty is now on full display at the new Salt Lake City International Airport, which opened earlier this September.

“The whole intent—the overall theme of the architecture, of all the art decisions, the commissioned pieces and the fine art pieces—is to celebrate the natural beauty of Utah,” explained California-based artist Gordon Huether, who has collaborated with the airport redevelopment program every step of the way since being commissioned in 2015 with its comprehensive art master plan.

Travelers heading to Park City from around the world will see how Huether brought that majesty and magic to life in the airport’s aesthetic through several cohesive large-scale art installations that evoke the state’s geographical wonders.

“From the very beginning there was this very idea of a canyon—the airport is even designed in such a way that the main spine is a metaphor for a canyon,” said Huether, whose permanent “Canyon” creation measures 362 feet (about the size of a football field!), stretching from the arrivals lobby to the grand plaza, and includes benches, sculptural columns and plates.

Huether has also created “The Falls,” a sculpture created with light-sensitive dichroic glass fins and light-refracting glass rods, which is located at the three-story escalator located at the main point of the high-traffic area, and “The River” tunnel, which connects the two terminals. Finally, the colorful “Northern Lights” installation hangs as the focal point for passengers past security.

Even the airport’s 24 restrooms got the full-scale art treatment thanks to 18 local and national artists who make up the “Whimsy Wall” project. The large-scale art walls are unique vinyl wraps created from the artists’ original work.

Also look out for “The New SLC Art Wall,” located in the TSA security checkpoint and measuring approximately 30’ x 11’. Local artists Soonju Kwon, Noori Reihaneh and Hannah Vaughn were chosen to design, fabricate and install a unique and original work of art that speaks to “the spirit, culture, people and context of Utah.”

Along with his own large-scale permanent installations, Huether helped curate the airport’s 150-piece fine-art collection that features pieces by internationally recognized artists like Peter Max as well as several Utah-based artists including Doug Snow, Suzanne Kanatsiz, Jennifer Rasmusson, Marianne Cone and Michael Begue. While pieces are exhibited throughout the entire airport, a concentrated display is behind glass in the Greeting Room, located in the non-secure side of the airport.

Head to the rental-car space to check out the new home of the iconic “You Are Here” stained-glass wall, created by Utah artist Jenkyn Powell. Previously located in the international terminal, the piece was filled out to fit the 30’ x 10’ space and restored, waterproofed and polished at Huether’s studio.

When reflecting on the scope of the project, Huether said it’s been a commission unlike any other: “Between restoring, reimagining and curating things already there then add to it the Whimsy Walls, six major installations and subsequent smaller installations, there is not an airport that I’m aware of in the United States that has demonstrated such a commitment to the visual arts and to being part of the airport and the airport experience.”

And while creating lifetime memories is often the goal for travelers, officials at the new Salt Lake City International Airport also want travelers’ time spent coming and going through SLC to be just as memorable.

Nancy Volmer, airport director of communications and marketing, noted: “We want to make sure that people who come through our airport, as well as those who are connecting through Salt Lake City and never stepping outside the airport, remember which airport they were in, and our art installations will definitely help them remember their time here.”

Some other upgrades that passengers can look out for include:

• Less lugging! More than seven miles of new or upgraded conveyor belts are available to whisk checked luggage from multiple areas like the parking garage, curbside drop-off and ticketing counters. And for passengers arriving into SLC, you won’t have to wrestle ski and snowboard bags down sets of stairs, escalators or elevators, as the baggage-claim area occupies the same level as ground transportation and the parking structure.
• Less wait time on your skis and snowboards! The new oversize baggage-claim technology employs state-of-the art tech that can present approximately 100 ski bags vertically, offering better visibility to travelers.
• Easier rental car check-in! The check-in process to return rental cars is streamlined to allow drivers to park and easily transport gear to Gateway Ticketing and check-in, all within close proximity to the TSA security checkpoint.

For more on the new Salt Lake City International Airport, visit the web at slcairport.com.