It’s difficult to absorb a culture in two days. However, Meridith McCinley has twenty years of experience.
Barkley Regional Airport officials received a visit from the art consultant Monday, in order to plan a curation procedure for artwork installation in the new terminal.
McKinley from Via Partnership, a St. Louis-based public arts consultancy, said that they are working with the community in a decision-making process. She said she acts as a conduit between local artists, and the airport.
During her stay, she took a detailed tour of the Hotel Metropolitan as well as the Luther F. Carson Center and National Quilt Museum, River Discovery Center, Yeiser Art Center, and other Lower Town locations.
On Tuesday, she visited Pinecone Gallery, 421 N. 7th St., for a meet-and greet. Local artists asked questions, and they explained their desire to keep the process inclusive.
McKinleys assistance and experience will enable an ad hoc group to present an art-selection process for the Airport Authority board.
There is no one way to capture the western Kentucky zeitgeist.
McKinley stated that much of her work was in public policy, leading to what McKinley called a unique consulting firm.
She added that airports are an ideal place to display art. We are focusing on regional artists, and we have been discussing the possibility of commissioning new work.
We aren’t going to approach it in a standard way. We want to work closely with (Barkley, the region) to ensure that they have a say on how this process will run.
In the past, she has worked with the St. Louis Lambert International Airport and Little Rock, Arkansas’ Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport. She has worked with national developers on projects in temporary installations and commissions, murals, public and rotational exhibition programs, as well as commissions and commissions.
She stated that the most important players for our projects are the local commissions and art committees. We help them to put together a process, get the word out about artists, and facilitate those conversations.