Case Study: Newark Terminal A
The Story
Public Art Fund joined Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and Munich Airport NJ to lead the commission of two ambitious permanent artworks as a part of Newark Liberty International Airport’s $2.7 billion Terminal A redevelopment program. To transform this major global transportation hub into an artistic center that reflects the creativity, innovation, and diversity of New Jersey and the region, Public Art Fund invited a select group of artists to develop site-specific proposals for original permanent commissions in the new arrivals and departures halls. Layqa Nuna Yawar and Karyn Olivier were awarded the site-specific permanent commissions, which opened with the award-winning Terminal A in January 2023. The works pay homage to the vitality, history, architecture, people, and character of New Jersey, helping to transform the new terminal into a truly civic space.
Impact and Highlights
Terminal A supports thousands of jobs, billions of dollars in economic activity, and gives New Jersey a world-class gateway it can proudly show off to the world.
Newark Terminal A received a perfect 5-star Skytrax rating, thanks in part to its powerful public art installations, and was named the best new airport terminal in the world in 2024.
PBS State of the Arts won an Emmy award for their documentary feature on artist Layqa Nuna Yawar’s installation.
Artworks reflect the creativity, innovation, and diversity of New Jersey and the region.
Olivier captured thousands of photos and narrowed them down to 68 final images, revealing not only recognizable landmarks of Newark and New Jersey, but also lesser known gems such as the gold-domed City Hall and the vibrant Ironbound neighborhood.
Yawar spent time interviewing and taking portraits of the Port Authority’s airport workers and his local community members, depicting many of them in the final mural.
Project Timeline
2021–2023
Planning and Strategy
– Site-specific research begins
– Stakeholders engaged
– Creative vision developed
Research and Development
– Artist research, engagement, and committee review
Commissioning
– Selected artists submit final proposals
– Commissions awarded
– Initial artist proposals refined
Implementation
– Installation
– Signage and promotional materials created
Launch & Project Close Out
– Press and communications outreach
– Interpretive content provided
– Maintenance manual submitted
Artists and Artworks
About Between the Future Past: Spanning 350 feet of the arrivals and concourse levels, this vibrant mural celebrates the voices and diverse cultures that define the New Jersey region today, depicting airport workers, poets, LGBTQ+ heroes, and others to rethink who should be publicly celebrated.
About Layqa Nuna Yawar: The artist creates paintings and murals deeply informed by his own immigrant and multicultural identity, confronting racism, injustice, and xenophobia through imagery that explores and celebrates the intricacies of historically marginalized identities.
Behind the Scenes: The artist’s engagement with local community members is part of his ongoing practice. The mural was designed as a loop that can be read from right to left and left to right, much like Indigenous Kichwa language.
About Approach: Approach represents an extensive photographic survey of Newark and the surrounding region, including New Jersey’s iconic skylines, robust infrastructure, and natural beauty. Slices of land and sky are suspended in two 50-ft tall helix-like structures: one depicts daytime and the other night.
About Karyn Olivier: Based in Philadelphia, PA, Olivier considers history, displacement, migration, and visibility/invisibility through conceptual sculptures made of industrial materials and found objects.
Behind the Scenes: Olivier’s work required an extensive aerial photographic survey of Newark and the surrounding region, ascending by helicopter to capture views at many times of day.
Testimonials
“The new public art installations on display at Terminal A emphasize that Newark Liberty is not just a driver of regional economic activity, but an internationally recognized landmark within a culturally rich and inclusive landscape. There’s no better way to emphasize the value of such diversity and cultural exchange than by showcasing the work of local artists who represent the very best our state has to offer in terms of talent, innovation, and vision.”
— Phil Murphy, New Jersey Governor
“Public art installations by local artists have become a signature feature of Port Authority airports not only to uplift, but also in the case of Terminal A, to provide a New Jersey sense of place” — Rick Cotton, Executive Director at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey