As I transfer at ATL today, I was surprised to see stone artworks from Africa in the tunnel between A and T. Why Africa? Seems like there should be something to show Atlanta. I did not have time to venture to the other concourses. Do the other tunnels have art from other places? Does it progress to more advanced cultures as you move to B, C, etc? If so, a very interesting narrative. Walking from A to F one could see the range of evolution in our world, with increasingly civilized societies being showcased as you venture toward F. Do any other airports have such museum type exhibits?

I think between B and C or C and D there’s an entire Atlanta history motif from its first founding to the 2000s.

PEK777 wrote:

As I transfer at ATL today, I was surprised to see stone artworks from Africa in the tunnel between A and T. Why Africa? Seems like there should be something to show Atlanta. I did not have time to venture to the other concourses. Do the other tunnels have art from other places? Does it progress to more advanced cultures as you move to B, C, etc? If so, a very interesting narrative. Walking from A to F one could see the range of evolution in our world, with increasingly civilized societies being showcased as you venture toward F. Do any other airports have such museum type exhibits?

I don't want to be the person that says this, but what you posted was pretty casually racist... civilized? Advanced? These are pretty charged words with a nasty history. Food for thought.

Wow, better move this to Non-Aviation quickly!

I grew up in Atlanta. I can assure you there is a rich history not related to Africa at all. Sadly, it doesn't matter where in the world you are, the "Government" only tells you what they want you to know.

ATL is a sprawling complex. There is an extensive and diverse art program throughout the Airport, not just in the Transportation Mall but also in both the Domestic & International Terminals as well as certain Concourses. The themes are varied, and artists are local (youth & professional) and otherwise. That there is a focus on Africa in one section of the Transportation Mall isn’t overly surprising to me. While not the case today, Delta operated nonstop service to multiple cities in Africa from ATL not so long ago at a time when virtually no other U.S. Carrier did. Another portion of the Transportation Mall has a simulated Rain Forest which was commissioned in 2017 after being planned for several years. Another section has history on Atlanta. There’s art everywhere. See for yourself: http://www.atl.com/about-atl/airport-art-program/

AAFlyGuy

ImperialEagle wrote:

Wow, better move this to Non-Aviation quickly!

I grew up in Atlanta. I can assure you there is a rich history not related to Africa at all. Sadly, it doesn't matter where in the world you are, the "Government" only tells you what they want you to know.

What? There is so much non African art in ATL.

Airports sometimes choose to highlight other destinations because guess what - airports want you to entice you to travel by exposing you to different cultures. At STL, there was (or still is, I never bother to check) an entire section on Asain art. Nothing to do with government interference.

PEK777 wrote:

As I transfer at ATL today, I was surprised to see stone artworks from Africa in the tunnel between A and T. Why Africa? Seems like there should be something to show Atlanta. I did not have time to venture to the other concourses. Do the other tunnels have art from other places? Does it progress to more advanced cultures as you move to B, C, etc? If so, a very interesting narrative. Walking from A to F one could see the range of evolution in our world, with increasingly civilized societies being showcased as you venture toward F. Do any other airports have such museum type exhibits?

At STL they usually showcase a variety of different art in terminal one from rotating cultures. Sometimes it's Californian, Asian, and yes, African. I assume ATL has a program like that as well. Just a way of entertaining travelers, nothing more.

stl07 wrote:

PEK777 wrote:

As I transfer at ATL today, I was surprised to see stone artworks from Africa in the tunnel between A and T. Why Africa? Seems like there should be something to show Atlanta. I did not have time to venture to the other concourses. Do the other tunnels have art from other places? Does it progress to more advanced cultures as you move to B, C, etc? If so, a very interesting narrative. Walking from A to F one could see the range of evolution in our world, with increasingly civilized societies being showcased as you venture toward F. Do any other airports have such museum type exhibits?

At STL they usually showcase a variety of different art in terminal one from rotating cultures. Sometimes it's Californian, Asian, and yes, African. I assume ATL has a program like that as well. Just a way of entertaining travelers, nothing more.

If I recall from travels several years ago, the Concourse A Stone Age cultures exhibit has been there for awhile and has not been changed.

stl07 wrote:

PEK777 wrote:

As I transfer at ATL today, I was surprised to see stone artworks from Africa in the tunnel between A and T. Why Africa? Seems like there should be something to show Atlanta. I did not have time to venture to the other concourses. Do the other tunnels have art from other places? Does it progress to more advanced cultures as you move to B, C, etc? If so, a very interesting narrative. Walking from A to F one could see the range of evolution in our world, with increasingly civilized societies being showcased as you venture toward F. Do any other airports have such museum type exhibits?

At STL they usually showcase a variety of different art in terminal one from rotating cultures. Sometimes it's Californian, Asian, and yes, African. I assume ATL has a program like that as well. Just a way of entertaining travelers, nothing more.

T2 at STL has a rotating one past security also.

axiom wrote:

PEK777 wrote:

As I transfer at ATL today, I was surprised to see stone artworks from Africa in the tunnel between A and T. Why Africa? Seems like there should be something to show Atlanta. I did not have time to venture to the other concourses. Do the other tunnels have art from other places? Does it progress to more advanced cultures as you move to B, C, etc? If so, a very interesting narrative. Walking from A to F one could see the range of evolution in our world, with increasingly civilized societies being showcased as you venture toward F. Do any other airports have such museum type exhibits?

I don't want to be the person that says this, but what you posted was pretty casually racist... civilized? Advanced? These are pretty charged words with a nasty history. Food for thought.

The wall says " a tradition in the Stone Age", so if anyone is 'racist' it would be the airport. Also, it should be noted there are photographs on the wall of natives performing savage rituals.

Yeah, the African art between T and A has been there for 20-ish years, and in my opinion, it's staid and needs to be replaced. I think it showed up when E was opened '94-ish just before ATL hosted the 1996 Summer Olympics. There is a much newer exhibit between A and B, I think, that mimics walking through a forest with dim lighting and audiovisual features like bird sounds and sky peeking through the trees above.

They finally got rid of the mural of the little girl squatting over the fountains at Centennial Olympic Park that used to greet arriving passengers as they ascended from the transportation mall to the terminal. I wasn't sad to see her go. It looked like she was about to get an enema.

PEK777 wrote:

axiom wrote:

PEK777 wrote:

As I transfer at ATL today, I was surprised to see stone artworks from Africa in the tunnel between A and T. Why Africa? Seems like there should be something to show Atlanta. I did not have time to venture to the other concourses. Do the other tunnels have art from other places? Does it progress to more advanced cultures as you move to B, C, etc? If so, a very interesting narrative. Walking from A to F one could see the range of evolution in our world, with increasingly civilized societies being showcased as you venture toward F. Do any other airports have such museum type exhibits?

I don't want to be the person that says this, but what you posted was pretty casually racist... civilized? Advanced? These are pretty charged words with a nasty history. Food for thought.

The wall says " a tradition in the Stone Age", so if anyone is 'racist' it would be the airport. Also, it should be noted there are photographs on the wall of natives performing savage rituals.

That may all be, but I was talking about your choice of words. "Savage" would be another. Are you citing a 19th century colonial memoir?!