Sacramento International Airport Commissions Art Chair Paul Ramírez Jonas to Create Permanent Public Installation

Using imagery and words that celebrate the surrounding valley as well as airport staff, Ramírez Jonas has revealed preliminary models of the full work, which will wrap the transportation hub's new six-story parking facility.

AAP Communications

exterior of a parking garage covered in metal panels to create the image of an orchard

East section of the planned installation which will cover three sides of Sacramento International Airport's new six-story parking garage. image / provided

Using 1,252 perforated metal panels each measuring 3'x11', Paul Ramírez Jonas, Chair and Professor of Art in Cornell's College of Architecture, Art, and Planning, has unveiled his plans for a large-scale installation which will cover three sides of Sacramento International Airport's new six-story parking garage.

Titled The Trip Around the Block is the Trip Around the World, the commissioned work invites airport users to reflect on the surrounding region's agricultural landscape at multiple scales. Holes punched into the panels spell out the names of local environmental features — everything from coves and creeks to forests and mountains — and incorporate every airport employee's name. From a distance, the punctures create an optical illusion that depicts the orchards of the Sacramento Valley on the building's exterior. Internally, the play of sunlight and 60 installed sconces adds another dynamic dimension to the work, which is expected to measure approximately 45'x400' in full.

Paul Ramírez Jonas.

"I am honored to have the opportunity to make an artwork for the passengers, staff, and users of the Sacramento International Airport," said Ramírez Jonas, who was inspired by the labels used on the valley's produce and fruit crates. "I have dedicated my career to making art for everyday people as they move through our public and civic spaces. Transportation hubs are my favorites; we go through them repeatedly, sometimes we hurry through barely able to catch a glimpse of the place, sometimes we must wait and welcome something that will make us think and feel. I hope my work will create a moment to reflect on the names of all the places we call home, no matter if we are leaving or coming back."

Part of the airport's $1.4 billion SMForward expansion, The Trip Around the Block is the Trip Around the World is currently being fabricated and will be installed in coordination with the garage's completion. The finished facility is expected in summer 2026 and will serve as both a functional and cultural gateway for the region.

I hope my work will create a moment to reflect on the names of all the places we call home. — Paul Ramírez Jonas