Ready for Takeoff

Permanent art has been a staple at Atlanta’s main airport since 1979, when former Mayor Maynard Jackson commissioned 14 pieces for the then-new main terminal. Since then, the Airport Art Program collection has grown to include more than 250 works, in addition to ongoing rotating exhibits. For the new Concourse F, which also bears Jackson’s name, a number of large-scale, site-specific pieces were commissioned. Most of the works are on view to anyone traveling through Concourse F—also known as the new international terminal—while others can only be seen by select passengers. Travelers who arrive at certain gates, for instance, will be privy to one particular piece as they make their way through clearance at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, while others may miss the installation that connects Concourses E and F if they don’t have connecting flights. Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles photographed the new pieces before the terminal opened, so regardless of your final destination, you can see all of the artwork here—no passport or boarding pass required.