Passengers traveling through Terminal D at George Bush Intercontinental Airport are enjoying new furniture and flooring and more power outlets. The existing Terminal D completed a refresh and re-life earlier this year as construction continues on an expansion of the Terminal with a new D-West Concourse. 

“This is exciting. We have a brand-new terminal experience coming soon,” shared Kelly Woodland, who served as Assistant Director of Operational Readiness for Houston Airports during the Terminal D project. “To be a part of the planning and design, and now to see those plans come to life is simply amazing. Our project motto is Change is Coming. And it really is. Change is coming.” 

From ambiance to art galleries, passengers are invited to experience the change inside Terminal D. This month, Alton DuLaney, Curator of Public Art for Houston Airports, relocated 12 vitrines to the Terminal D Connector Gallery – which connects Terminals C and D. The covered display cases feature an assortment of small sculptures and art works. DuLaney also hung 12 paintings between Gates D7 and D15. The Terminal D Mezzanine Gallery, near the American Express Centurion Lounge, was also re-curated with art from the civic art collection of Houston Airports. 

“With one of the biggest public art collections in the aviation industry, it’s a joy to curate our galleries with art pieces that inspire curiosity and thought,” said DuLaney of the artwork being shown. “The pieces selected for Terminal D include some never seen before pieces and represent local, national, and international artists.” 

 Houston Airports is working to acquire even more art which is set to be added to Terminal D in spring 2024.

ART FOR TERMINAL D-WEST 

The new year also brings new opportunities for Houston-based artists. In January 2024, the first of six commissioned artworks will be installed in the new Terminal D-West concourse. The area will feature six additional gates. Each gate will feature a triptych, a three-part art piece. “Whether our international passengers are arriving or departing, the first or last thing they will see is art created by a Houston-based artist,” said DuLaney. “That’s important and incredibly special, since Houston is fast becoming known as Art City.” In addition to the local artists, there are two international artists featured: Regina Silviera from Brazil and Carolina Caycedo from Colombia. 

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Caycedo has designed Nuestros Cosmos. She is making the suspended sculpture out of fishing nets, a homage to Bayou City and its position along the Texas Gulf Coast. 

“Houston Airports thoughtfully chose to represent our local creative community and internationally renowned artists from the Americas,” explained DuLaney. “It’s a crucial detail because Houston’s airports are a gateway to Latin America.”  

Caycedo’s work is currently on view at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. 

“It was amazing to walk into the MOMA in NYC and see Caycedo’s work! Our passengers will hopefully experience that same sense of awe when they encounter this world-renown artist in the new Terminal D pier.”

Four more pieces of custom art will be installed in the new International Central Processor, which is set to be completed in 2025. 

Origin of Funding | Funds for the permanent work of public arts at Houston's airports were allocated by a City of Houston ordinance which mandates that 1.75% of qualified and applicable Capital Improvement Project dollars be set aside for civic art. These funds are generated by the Houston Airport's Enterprise Fund – a non-taxpayer, self-sustaining fund of the City. Under contract and in partnership with MOCA, Houston Arts Alliance administers these city-funded public opportunities to acquire and conserve the City of Houston's public art pieces.