Fort McMurray Airport Authority Expands Art Program
Fort McMurray, AB – On October 15, 2014, the Fort McMurray International Airport unveiled Lasting Impression, a newly commissioned painting by local artist Lucas Seaward. Located in the first floor Arrivals hall, this painting was created using bitumen, the 100-million-year-old natural resource which is extracted from local oil sands mining sites. The art piece contains over twenty pictograms which encompass many of the elements that have helped to define the Fort McMurray region over the last two hundred years.
“My aim is to create compositions that extend beyond the canvas,” says Seaward. “If a picture is worth a thousand words, it is my goal to create art images that will evoke emotion and stimulate conversation and dialogue. This piece in particular is meant to represent permanence, or symbolize ‘putting your foot down’ or really what I see as the airport making a lasting and positive impression in the community,” comments the artist.
“All of the art pieces installed to date complement the terminal’s modern design in terms of colors, materials and textures. Placement of art helps us to create a welcoming experience for visitors,” says Scott Clements, President and CEO of the Fort McMurray Airport Authority.
In addition to Lasting Impression, the new airport terminal is home to three other original artworks by Western Canadian artists. Sky Explorer, another bitumen painting by Lucas Seaward, adorns the boardroom and depicts a float plane taking off from the Snye. Daedalist, a sculpture by British Columbia artist David Robinson, is suspended above the Arrivals hall and pays tribute to ancient dreams of flight. Water Ways, Sensing Connections, a photographic collage by Edmonton artist Liz Ingram, is incorporated into the glass wall near gate 2 and focuses on the historical and present importance of water to life in Fort McMurray. YMM’s art program is intended to give passengers a strong sense of place and to connect them to the passion and energy of Fort McMurray.
About Fort McMurray International Airport
Fort McMurray Airport Authority is a community-based, not-for-profit organization that owns and operates Fort McMurray International Airport (YMM). Canada’s fifteenth busiest airport, YMM is the fastest growing airport in Canada with a passenger growth rate of 12% in 2014. YMM served nearly 1.2 million passengers in 2013 and opened a brand new terminal building on June 9, 2014.
For more information, members of the media may contact:
Joanne Barnes, Communications Coordinator
Fort McMurray Airport Authority
Phone: 780-793-7544