Terminal 4 Museum Exhibitions

Terminal 4 Exhibitions

Time and Place: Paintings by Martin Dimitrov

Through August 2026

Location

Terminal 4, level 3, in eight display cases on the east and west ends

Arizona artist Martin Dimitrov studies light, color and the unfolding of time through the act of painting. By revisiting familiar sites — often his own backyard — he documents the gradual changes that take place over days, weeks and years.

Dimitrov paints directly from life rather than from photographs. Bringing the canvas outdoors, usually at night, he embraces the environment as both subject and studio. Many of the works took several years to complete, over which time the subject itself changed. Whether working on a large canvas or a set of smaller panels, each composition becomes an immersive experience.

As day becomes night, shadows emerge, colors fade and edges soften. These paintings document the subtle transitions in subject and light, creating a visible record of Time and Place.

Fluoresce

Through February 2027

Location

Terminal 4, level 3 west of food court

Many things in nature fluoresce; certain fish, corals, scorpions, birds and many different minerals glow under ultraviolet light. While ultraviolet light (UV) is largely invisible to the human eye, fluorescence makes certain objects or pigments glow with vibrant colors we can see when exposed to it. This is why some things radiate intense pinks, blues, greens and oranges under a “blacklight”.

Although blacklights themselves date back to the early 1900s, blacklight art didn’t become popular until the 1960s. At this time, artists started experimenting with UV pigments and blacklight art came into its own with psychedelic and pop culture images. Heavily associated with counterculture and psychedelic music, blacklight posters were all the rage. In the late 60s and early 70s, blacklight artworks also became widely used for activism posters, particularly in the Black Power movement.

Blacklight art has had a resurgence in recent years. This exhibition features 7 Arizona artists who use blacklight paint to emphasize their color palette, create interesting effects, encapsulate nostalgia and so much more. Whether artists find inspiration from psychedelic posters or the natural world, blacklight is a vibe that feels mesmerizing and enchanting unlike any other media.

Featured Artists

Anne Armbruster
Tracy Brown
Ana Falteisek
JJ Horner
Victoria Klotz
Kyllan Maney
Erin Shimmervine

Image caption: Symmetrical Flower Series I by Kyllan Maney, 2025, acrylic on panel, 60” x 60”, courtesy of the artist

Runway Fashion

Through February 2026

Location

Terminal 4, level 2 near ticketing

For more than 90 years, female passenger-service professionals — known as stewardesses, hostesses or flight attendants — have worn distinctive uniforms to reflect their specialized roles. Their attire balanced the glamour of air travel with utility, especially during the “Jet Age,” while also aligning with airline branding and fashion trends of the era. These sometimes-conflicting demands presented apparel designers with remarkable challenges.

Starting in the mid-1940s, airlines began commissioning notable fashion designers to create stylish yet functional uniforms, leading to iconic inflight workwear through the 1970s and beyond. Many of these collections became widely admired, influencing mainstream fashion and earning a place on both the catwalk and the jetway.

This exhibition features eight flight attendant uniforms from the Phoenix Airport Museum Aviation History Collection. With designs by renowned fashion houses like Valentino and Ralph Lauren, each unique uniform represents the golden age of air travel, showcasing the elegance of Runway Fashion.

Image caption: Sleeve detail of America West Airlines flight attendant uniform designed by Carol Ann Brown, 1983, Phoenix Airport Museum Aviation History Collection

Spectral Alchemy

Through October 2026

Location

Terminal 4, level 3, gallery

Featured Artists

Kenaim Al-Shatti
Sky Black
Mikey Butzine
Jason Chakravarty
Piersten Doctor
Allie Giambalvo
Joseph Mark Hanson
Tifa Holman
MUX
Tara Sharpe
Lily Reeves
Christina Thomas
Galactic Turkey
James Turrell
Wiley Wallace

Image caption: Piersten Doctor, Coyote Stealing the Stars, 2025, oil paint on canvas

Overview

Light is an essential tool for experiencing the world around us. On the grandest scale, it provides a window to the universe — from the energy of distant stars to the soft illumination of the moon. Light separates into different wavelengths, allowing us to see the many colors that enrich our world. It can be understood through both science and spirit. We are naturally drawn to light, often creating meaning and stories around it that extend into mystical realms.

This exhibition features 15 diverse local artists who use unique art mediums like neon, spray paint or digital animation to explore the enchanting spirit of light. From ethereal visions to generational stories, each artwork reflects a personal connection to light. Together, these works transform light into a source of creativity, magic and wonder— inspiring Spectral Alchemy.

Trajectory Print Portfolio Project

Ongoing

Location

Terminal 4, level 3, near the center

Overview

Phoenix Institute of Contemporary Art (phICA) is a nonprofit organization with a goal of helping artists advance their careers. Through phICA’s financial support, initiatives and opportunities, artists expand their reach and knowledge.

This exhibition presents a diverse array of artworks resulting from phICA’s Trajectory Print Portfolio Project. Arizona artists applied for the opportunity to enhance their artistic skills by experiencing printmaking. For many of these artists, this is new territory as they typically work in mediums like painting, drawing or sculpture.

These 12 local artists, using the technique of relief printing, worked with Master Printer Brent Bond at Santo Press in Scottsdale, AZ. Relief printing is a process where the artist carves their design into a block of wood, linoleum or some other material's surface. The image is transferred from the raised surface onto paper by running the fully inked block and paper through a printing press.

This compelling collection showcases these artists’ existing creative practices enhanced with newfound techniques offered by printmaking. It is a beautiful snapshot of the richness and diversity of skilled artists at work in our local community and is testament to phICA’s dedication to support artists, their vision and artistic Trajectory.

Form Over Function: Ceramics from the Phoenix Airport Museum's Collection

Ongoing

Location

Terminal 4, level 3 near center

Overview

Ceramic artists sometimes create containers that are more about aesthetics rather than their use. They may design pots, bowls, cups and vases that challenge conventional form, either by deviating from a traditional shape or defying utility altogether. As art objects, their vessels draw upon the expressive nature of sculpture.

This exhibition features ten artists who have taken a unique approach to functional objects. While some artists shape or carve clay to emphasize texture, others create cups with fractures and vases with small openings that would otherwise make an impractical object. These artists contribute to the enduring legacy of the vessel, but they are transcending tradition to favor Form Over Function.

Featured Artists

Anitra Watley Allen
Sharon Brush
Victor Curran
Anne Goldman
Maurice Grossman
Michael Prepsky
Don Reitz
Patricia Sannit
Junya Shao
Greg Wenz

Image caption: Anitra Watley Allen, Guinomi: Sake Cups, 1997, glazed earthenware and porcelain, Phoenix Airport Museum Collection

100 Years, 100 Ranchers

Photographs by Scott Baxter

Ongoing

Location

Terminal 4, level 1, international walkway (post-security)

Overview

Wide open landscapes dotted with grazing cattle and sheep herded by the rancher on horseback have become an iconic symbol of our western culture. For more than 100 years the ranching tradition has been an integral part of Arizona’s history and growth. In celebration of Arizona’s Centennial in 2012, Scott Baxter photographed 100 Arizona ranchers whose families have been ranching for a century or more.

For more than ten years Baxter has been traveling to ranches across the state, getting to know the individual ranchers and their operations. He chose to use large-format cameras, a traditional process which takes time and allowed him to engage his subjects in a personal manner. Using black and white film Baxter captures a sense of timelessness and directs the viewer’s full attention to the subject in the frame.

The strength and independent nature of this unique group of Arizonans is apparent in their portraits. Baxter’s collection of photographs is a tribute to Arizona’s ranching legacy by preserving an important piece of Arizona character and history.

Image caption: Scott Baxter, Shannon Marie Nicholson Bales, 2011, Corporal Stripe Ranch, Cochise County near Willcox, AZ ranching family since 1885, Phoenix Airport Museum Collection