HOTA brings Gold Coast art into airport terminal
Gold Coast Airport and HOTA unveil Ruth Maddison artwork featuring iconic Mermaid Beach images from the 1970s.
What’s happening?
Gold Coast Airport has unveiled a new public art installation featuring photographs by acclaimed Australian photographer Ruth Maddison.
The display was delivered in partnership with HOTA, Home of the Arts, and is now featured inside the airport’s transition hall. The installation welcomes arriving and departing passengers with images capturing Gold Coast life in the late 1970s.
The photographs were taken at Mermaid Beach during the Christmas and New Year period of 1977 and 1978. The series captures moments from a local family gathering on the coast.
Queensland Airports Limited Chief Operating Officer Marion Charlton said the airport wanted travellers to experience the city’s identity as soon as they arrived.
“Airports are more than places people travel through, they are gateways to a city and a community,” Ms Charlton said.
“With thousands of people moving through Gold Coast Airport each day, bringing art into the terminal allows us to make art accessible to a broader audience.”
HOTA Gallery General Manager David Don said the partnership connects visitors with Australian artists from the moment they land on the Gold Coast.
Artist Ruth Maddison said she was pleased to see the works displayed in a busy public space used by locals and visitors.
Why it matters?
The installation brings artwork from the HOTA Collection beyond gallery walls and into one of the Gold Coast’s busiest public spaces.
It also highlights the city’s growing arts and cultural scene for visitors arriving through the airport.
Local Impact
The display gives locals and tourists a glimpse into the Gold Coast lifestyle from almost 50 years ago.
It also strengthens the connection between the city’s tourism hubs and arts sector through a public space used daily by the community.
By the numbers
The installation features four photographs captured by Ruth Maddison at Mermaid Beach.
The artwork will remain on display inside Gold Coast Airport for the next 12 months.
Thousands of travellers move through Gold Coast Airport each day, making the terminal one of the city’s busiest public spaces.
Zoom In
The featured photographs document everyday moments during a Gold Coast family gathering at Mermaid Beach in the late 1970s.
The images preserve a snapshot of the coastal lifestyle that shaped the city during that era.
Zoom Out
Public art displays inside airports are becoming more common across Australia as cities look for new ways to share local culture with visitors.
The Gold Coast partnership also reflects wider efforts to connect tourism experiences with arts and culture across the region.
What to look for next?
The airport installation is expected to introduce more travellers to HOTA and the broader Gold Coast arts scene over the coming year.
More collaborations between major Gold Coast venues and public spaces could follow as the city continues showcasing local culture to visitors.