Terminal 5 (exhibition)
Terminal 5 was an art exhibition presented in October 2004 within the then-unused Eero Saarinen-designed TWA Flight Center located at JFK Airport in Queens, New York. In 1994, the City of New York recognized both the interior and exterior of the Saarinen terminal as a historic landmark, and it was subsequently added to the National Register of Historic Places. Nevertheless, after TWA experienced financial difficulties during the 1990s and was acquired by American Airlines, the terminal was closed in October 2001 and left vacant.
Organized by curator Rachel K. Ward, Terminal 5 displayed creations from 19 artists representing 10 different countries. Among the participants were prominent names such as Jenny Holzer, Scott Indrisek, Dan Graham, Vanessa Beecroft, Tom Sachs, Tobias Wong, and Douglas Coupland. The exhibition included sculptures, sound installations, lectures, and temporary artworks that drew inspiration from themes of travel and the architectural design of the terminal.
Originally planned to run from October 1, 2004, until January 31, 2005, the exhibit was prematurely terminated following a security incident in which an attendee opened a door leading to the runway. This breach led to an immediate closure due to safety concerns. Since that time, sections of the original structure have been demolished, while the Saarinen terminal underwent renovation to become a ceremonial gateway for a new adjacent terminal completed in 2008. These facilities together constitute JetBlue Airways' JFK hub, collectively referred to as Terminal 5 or T5, which inspired the exhibition's title.