Artist's 'forest' at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport to cost $4 million

An art installation designed to transform a Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport pedestrian tunnel into a virtual forest now comes with a $4 million price tag, more than triple what it would have cost when the project was first proposed a decade ago.

Chicago-based artist Steven Waldeck's "Flight Paths," which would be Hartsfield-Jackson's most expensive and ambitious single project to date if approved, will convert a 450-foot underground walkway into a three-dimensional forest, complete with a simulated tree canopy, bird sounds and sunbeams. The installation will be paid for with airport funds set aside from airport-associated fees, such as lease payments by airlines and parking revenue.

Expensive artwork in airports is nothing new. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport spent $1.6 million on a light installation. At the Sea-Tac Airport in Seattle, developers wrapped part of a new rental car facility in a $1.5 million curtain of steel mesh and LED lights. Other airports such as Dallas-Fort Worth International also have multimillion-dollar art programs.

But "Flight Paths" raises a simple question: What's too costly, especially in airport-funded dollars, for something as subjective as art?

Eddie Granderson, who oversees Atlanta's Public Art Program in the Office of Cultural Affairs, said such hallmark art installations are key in defining Atlanta as an international city.

"It should have significant works of art that greet citizens as they come into the Atlanta area," said Granderson, whose program is separate from the airport art program.

"[The argument is not] why would one spend $4 million for art, but how would one enhance a public environment for receiving a world community?" Granderson said.

Critics say $4 million may be over the top for a project, particularly one that may not be seen by many Atlantans. "Flight Paths" is planned for the underground walkway between Concourses A and B. Most travelers use the Plane Train connecting the concourses.

"I think it's crazy," said Fulton County Taxpayers Foundation President John Sherman of the multimillion-dollar price tag. He said he's in favor of art in public places, but said the cost should be reviewed.

Airport officials, however, note Concourses A and B are the airport's busiest. They say the price has increased because of rising labor and material costs, which include a conversion from neon to more energy-efficient LED lighting, and because the electrical work alone will now cost $2 million.

"The cost of the project is definitely related to how ambitious it is --- it's a massive space," said David Vogt, the airport's art program manager.

Airport officials expect to soon seek the city's OK, which includes Atlanta City Council approval, and could have the project installed next year.

The project was first contemplated around 2000 and was chosen out of some 1,000 submissions. "Flight Paths" was soon delayed due to "unforeseen structural, mechanical and electrical issues" in the planned construction of the piece, as well as the economic downturn, Vogt said.

Since the project was originally planned, Waldeck said, some of the people involved have retired. Waldeck himself has since retired from his teaching position at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Waldeck, 67, was about 55 when he was first planning the artwork. He said people ask him about the project "all the time," to which he has long responded that it's still on hold.

"I never wrote the project off," he said. Of the delays over the years, he said, "maybe it's better that people pull back and wait and see what the heck just happened here because these are not times that give you a lot of comfort with the economy."

The project will be funded as part of Atlanta's public art master plan, which calls for setting aside 1 percent of certain spending for art. The funds for airport construction come from passenger facility charges on air fares, lease payments by airlines and other sources such as parking and concessions revenue, with that money often used for backing bonds or other financing.

The $4 million comes from pooling the 1 percent from the variety of construction projects at the airport, such as the $642 million rental car center that opened in 2009, restroom improvements and air-conditioning upgrades, according to the airport.

The installation is the third in a series of artworks in the airport's underground walkways, including "Tradition in Stone," a Zimbabwe exhibit of stone sculptures between Concourses A and T on display since 2001 that cost about $500,000, and "A Walk Through Atlanta History" between Concourses B and C.

Waldeck sees his piece as a way for travelers to "actually walk and enjoy themselves and get a little exercise between flights," which he said could also alleviate crowding on the people-mover train.

Aviation art consultant Betsey Sanpere said without reviewing the precise details of the project, it's difficult to measure value. But she did note that lighting and sound technologies are expensive, and said quality --- not cutting corners to save costs --- should be the governing factor.

"When you start doing LED lights and electricity, you're really getting into a great deal of money, but it's worth it because it lasts forever," said Sanpere, who added that Hartsfield-Jackson's art program is world-renowned. "For the busiest airport in the United States, quality is the most important thing."

Staff writer Bo Emerson contributed to this article.

Copyright 2012 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution