The artist’s arm soars, reaching with brushes in hand, and when it lands, paint transfers to the canvas. It’s a process that requires concentration, purpose and poise, especially when the prize lands so many eyes on the piece: an exhibition in Memphis International Airport’s B baggage claim area.
“In the past, I’ve submitted photos,” Zahra Altareb (12) said. “I’ve always wanted to do the painting, but never had time to make the preliminary piece, so this year, it was one of my goals to [compete with a painting], because I always saw [other] people [competing with paintings]. Also, [the second painting is on] a really big canvas, and it’s rare to be able to work on a canvas that big with really good, high-quality paints for free.”
The competition commences with the submission of a small, preliminary painting, and if you’re lucky enough to be accepted into the finals, what awaits you is a colossal 3-foot-4-inch canvas and complementary high-end acrylic. Now things start to truly take off as finalists replicate their original piece, but with enhanced focus on detail and skill.
“It’s cool because I can do more details than the original one, [since I’m] doing [the larger] one with acrylic.” Olivia Sterling (11) said. “So it’s like I’m getting to play around with the colors a little bit differently, and even though it’s technically the same painting just on a larger scale, it’s going to look a lot different because it’s in a different medium. I’m enjoying it, [though]. I’ll probably return to working [on] very big [canvases].”
While being granted the privilege to work on such a large surface seems like an attractive opportunity, the grander scale means more movement, standing and hunching over for extended periods. This produces pain and can cause strain to painters over time, meaning that artists truly put their blood, sweat and tears into their pieces.
“I started on [the second painting] while I was fasting [for Ramadan], and I was so excited that I [immediately] started on the base painting,” Altareb said. “I was having to move my arm up and down like a width of three feet, and it was so tiring. Then afterward, while I was doing the base sketch, I felt dizzy. It was a workout, honestly. Mr. Dycus kept saying every time my neck [would] hurt, ‘[You’re] just like Michelangelo when he was painting the Sistine Chapel.’ So it [was] a little tiring, but I felt like a real artist.”
For Arts in the Airport, applicants had to adhere to a theme of Memphis. Artists sought out the most eye-catching references to best portray Memphis to possible passerby collecting their luggage.
“The original painting is also part of my AP portfolio [which was] themed around different landscapes from my travels for the past few years, and I wanted the finale of my series to be [from] Memphis,” Sterling said. “But I didn’t know what I wanted to [paint]. [I considered] a landscape from The Botanic Garden, but then I saw this photo and I was like, ‘Well, I’ve got to do this because it’s iconic to Memphis.’”
Some competitors choose to take the scenic route and articulate the aesthetics of Memphis. Others, however, prefer to embellish their canvas with the cultural significance and symbolism that is intrinsic within Memphis’ history from periods such as the Civil Rights movement.
“I had this photo from a [pro-Palestinian] protest back in October 2024 [that took place at the] I Am A Man [statue],” Altareb said. “For me, in this piece, the I Am a Man [statue], [is] a symbol of saying, ‘I’m human,’ and it wasn’t a coincidence that’s where we were protesting. It was very intentional, and for me [to take] that photo and do this painting, [it relates to] what I titled [the painting], “I’m a Man Always and Forever,” [and expresses] the statement that the world recognizing [people’s] humanity should be true for everyone, no matter the circumstance.”
Possible competitors for Arts in the Airport may feel daunted by meeting deadlines, working in demanding conditions, and finding a meaningful reference that most encapsulates the city. Nevertheless, it’s important to remember the competition’s root cause of allowing Memphis youth to craft a creative homage to their home.
“Be strict with your original one so you can get in,” Sterling said. “But then once you get to the large scale, you gotta have some whimsy. Just have fun with it and let it do its thing. Working on such a large scale is its own beast, so be forgiving towards yourself if it’s medium-ugly for a little bit. And [don’t forget] with acrylic, you can paint over a million times.”
Arts in the Airport gives young artists the tools and platform to paint and perform on an international level, as those landing in the Memphis International Airport get their first in-person impression of our city from the art lining the walls of the luggage claim area. They’re surrounded by the hard work and perseverance abundant within Memphis’ arts and community.
“I’m happy that I was able to make the time to do it,” Altareb said. “I used to underestimate Arts in the Airport, but over the summer, I traveled twice and, when I came back [to the airport], I would see my friends’ pieces and it was so nice because almost everyone sees the paintings [since] they’re in baggage claim. One of the first things people traveling through Memphis see is my painting, and I think it’s really cool.”