SJC Art

Airport Public Art Program

Technology and innovation are the inspirations behind SJC’s public art installations. These installations are part of a unified program of Art+Technology, showcasing the diversity, creativity and energy that define San José and the Bay Area.

Art+Technology is broadly defined as:

• Art that uses technology
• Art that is inspired by technology
• Art that is developed with technology
• Art that comments on technology

Both permanent and rotating exhibits on display:

• Hands by Christian Moeller
  Approaching the airport from the east, the hands of 53 Silicon Valley residents greet the world from a mural created with plastic pixels affixed to architectural metal mesh, spanning 1,200 feet and standing seven stories high. (Permanently located on the East Facade of the Rental Car Facility.)
• XO: A Public Art Installation by Laura Kimpton and Jeff Schomberg
  The love letters, a 12-foot-tall aluminum installation, perforated with bird cutouts, stand as a contemporary expression representing a “hug” and a “kiss;” a lighthearted way of sharing affection, fun, and friendship. The birds, a key aspect of artists’ work, are visual symbols for flight and safe air travel. At night, the sculpture is illuminated internally with changing colors, drawing travelers' attention and offering the opportunity for an iconic photo to mark the start or end of their journey in San José. (Permanently located curbside at Terminal B.)
• Threshold by Philip Beesley Studio & Living Architectural Systems Group Threshold is a sculpture in two parts respectively titled Nest and Shower that explore the formation of crystalline worlds. Within the intricate floating hollow forms of Nest, a spiraling pool of clouds contains jewel-like spherical forms. Shower contains bursting rays surrounded by a spiral pool of clouds. The rippling surface of a primordial ocean lies beneath both of these worlds. The combined worlds within Threshold offer a dream-like vision evoking our collective origins.  (Permanently located in Terminal B – Arrivals Hall.)
• A million Times San José by Humans Since 1982
  Composed of 160 clock faces with white hands set against a black stone-like surface, the piece combines software, hardware, sensors, and contemporary aesthetics. By programing the clock hands to spin individually, but in formation, the artwork reports time accurately while also playfully representing the concept of time passing. (Permanently located in Terminal B – Arrivals Hall.)
• The Wall of Recognition by Carlos Perez
  This illustrated wall installation recognizes three prime-movers behind San José’s airport: Ernie Renzel, James Nissen, and Norman Y. Minteta.
• Space Observer by Bjorn Schulke
  Reminiscent of a space craft, this glossy white 26' tall sculpture standing on eight-foot tripod legs, explores the interactivity between humans and modem technology. Engage with this elaborate, yet delicate object and it will quietly rotate with the help of two propeller-tipped arms, using its kinetic cameras to reveal live images. (Permanently located in Terminal B – Mezzanine.)
• eCloud by Nik Hafermaas, Dan Goods and Aaron Koblin
  In this dynamic artwork, thousands of switchable glass squares suspended from the ceiling continuously change from opaque to transparent with the transmission of real-time weather data. Explore current weather conditions around the world on the artwork's dynamic display. (Permanently located in Terminal B Concourse.)
• Wave Matter by Gregory Kucera
  Pixelated panels located in the concourse columns are composed of thousands of holes, interpreting various waves - ripples in a pond, electromagnetic, radio, sound, radar, and gravitational. (Temporarily located in Terminal B South Concourse.)
• Invisible Skies by Elizabeth Turk
  Led by internationally recognized artist Elizabeth Turk (ETProjects.Foundation), this immersive installation celebrates community through movement and light. The images you see began as a flash art event at San José City Hall on Jan. 31, 2026, when more than 2,000 participants used illuminated umbrellas to transform the plaza into a living constellation – a shared moment of play, motion and connection. Though the event was temporary, its energy lives on at SJC ... where travelers gather, wait and look skyward; these immersive murals extend the project from City Hall into a space of transit and possibility, connecting city, community and travelers in a shared moment. (Located in Terminal B between Gates 16 & 17.)
• Connected by Flight by Lacey Bryant
  Paints a picture of a woman, born in China and raised in the Bay Area, watching a flock of barn swallows sweep from west to east, their colors shifting to reflect the regions they pass through. Found across every continent, swallows migrate vast distances in search of food and shelter – echoing the journeys of immigrants seeking opportunity and belonging. Their aerodynamic forms also evoke the technologies of flight that keep people connected across the globe. (This is a rotating piece located in Terminal B – Mezzanine Art Window, near the TSA queue.)
• Marvelous Marine Hot Air Balloon Parade by Delilah Bender
  A whimsical air show featuring diverse beings from every corner of the earth. The artist’s handmade array of magical creatures unites nature and technology, reminding us how much we still can learn from the natural world. This enchanting artwork sends you off on your journeys, wishing you Bon Voyage! (This is a rotating piece located in Terminal B – Mezzanine Art Window, near the TSA queue.)
   

Please note: Works of art located in the Terminal B Concourse are behind the TSA security checkpoint and are available only to ticketed passengers. The works of art in the pre-security area of Terminal B are available to the general public.

The Airport’s Art+Technology program is the product of a four-year master planning effort involving community members and policy makers to model a public art program that is unique to this region.

The Public Art Program at the San José Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) manages the program in close collaboration with the Airport.

Funding:
The City of San José Public Art Program is funded through an ordinance that allows 1% of municipal capital improvement project budgets to be set aside for public art.

For More Information Please Contact:
Public Art Program (City of San José Office of Cultural Affairs)
200 E. Santa Clara Street, 4th Floor, San José CA, 95113
Phone: 408-793-4344
Fax: 408-971-2597