The San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC), in partnership with the San Francisco International Airport (SFO), announce the unveiling of multiple new public art installations at Harvey Milk Terminal 1 upon the completion and recent grand opening of the final section of the terminal.
“The collection of art found at San Francisco International Airport is some of the finest in the world, and that’s no exaggeration,” said Ralph Remington, Director of Cultural Affairs. “From captivating 2D works to murals, sculptures and everything in between, we hope the world class artwork travelers will see as they make their way towards their travel destination inspires them and keeps them coming back for more. We are thankful to have been able to partner with SFO to incorporate new public art as part of the renovation of Harvey Milk Terminal 1 and thank all the artists who worked closely with public art staff to make their visions and dreams, reality.”
Funding for public art at SFO was generated from the Art Enrichment Ordinance, or 2%-for-Art-Program, which ensures two percent of gross construction costs from the expansion of Harvey Milk Terminal 1, and other publicly funded capital construction projects at SFO, be allocated for public art. Other recent construction projects at SFO include the new Long Term Parking Garage, Grand Hyatt Hotel, and AirTrain stations.
The Arts Commission developed an ambitious public art program designed to create a dynamic environment that engages travelers from the moment they arrive at the airport, showcasing world class art throughout the airport campus, pre- and post-security.
The final section of the award-winning $2.5B Harvey Milk Terminal 1 opened on June 17, 2024, and includes new public art, a new north check-in lobby, a new mezzanine-level security checkpoint, two additional aircraft gates, four new concessions and a new connecting walkway that links all SFO terminals post-security.
“Harvey Milk Terminal 1 sets a new benchmark for the airport experience,” said SFO Airport Director Ivar C. Satero. “This facility celebrates the legacy of a pioneering civil rights leader, with museum exhibits and public artwork that together tell a story about what makes San Francisco great and how people like Harvey Milk continue to serve as an inspiration for the world. Our thanks go out to the San Francisco Arts Commission for their contribution to making Harvey Milk Terminal 1 an experience which all of San Francisco can be proud.”
The first phase of Harvey Milk Terminal 1 opened in July 2019 and included nine departure gates, concessions, and the check-in lobby. The second phase in May 2021 included seven departure gates, a new post-security connector to the International Terminal, a new museum gallery, and a new display of exhibit content honoring the life and legacy of Harvey Milk.
Public Art at Harvey Milk Terminal 1
Two new works were installed as part of the completion of this final section: Craig Calderwood’s immersive three-story mural The Only Blue is the Sky uses vibrant visual vernacular to capture the exuberance of queer history and culture while honoring the legacy of civil rights pioneer Supervisor Harvey Milk; Suzanne Husky’s Close Encounter with the California Sublime reimagines Albert Bierstadt’s painting, Merced River, Yosemite Valley, c. 1866, by adding a tourist family in the act of taking a selfie with a California grizzly bear to critique environmental commodification and exploitation.
Additional installations include new and not recently seen works from the Civic Art Collection including Ala Ebtekar’s Zenith (VII), 2016-17, Dewey Crumpler’s Untitled, 1977, and Oliver Lee Jackson’s Painting (12.16.08), 2008, among several others.
These works join other public art installations at Harvey Milk Terminal 1, including numerous two-dimensional works, Terra-Techne, 2019, by Liz Glynn, Bird Plane House, Intersection, and Shell, 2020, by Gay Outlaw, located in the South Courtyard, mosaic murals by Emily Fromm, The Color of Horizons, 2020, by Dana Hemenway, The Author & Her Story, 2019, by Jason Jägel, Hyper-Natural Bay Area, 2019, by Robert Minervini, Number 695, 2019, by Leonardo Drew, Unfolding Space (In Gold), 2020, by Andy Vogt, Orion, 2020, by Spencer Finch, and Red Cadmium, 2019, by Mark Handforth.
We’ve Got to Give Them Hope, a neon and mirror ball installation by Andrea Bowers, is scheduled to be installed at the arrivals underpass December 2026-January 2027 and will incorporate quotes from Harvey Milk.
A photo gallery documenting the life and legacy of Harvey Milk, curated by SFO Museum, is also on view in Harvey Milk Terminal 1.
Harvey Milk: Messenger of Hope
SFO Museum’s exhibition Harvey Milk: Messenger of Hope chronicles the life of the visionary human rights leader, groundbreaking political luminary, and seminal figure of the LGBTQ rights movement. Located pre-security on the Departures Level of Harvey Milk Terminal 1, the photography exhibition focuses primarily on Milk’s politically active years during the 1970s. Given Milk’s impact on San Francisco communities, exhibition materials were sourced from public calls for photographs as well as the James C. Hormel LGBTQIA Center and the GLBT Historical Society.
To learn more about the public art found at Harvey Milk Terminal 1 and other locations at San Francisco International Airport, visit: sfartscommission.org/
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