Stephen Hansen is the artist responsible for all sculptures located throughout the airport terminal.
Hansen was born in Tacoma, Washington in 1950 and moved to Midland, Michigan in 1966. At the age of 18, Hansen moved to Kalamazoo to attend Western Michigan University. He stayed in Kalamazoo until 1991 which is where his art and sculpture career took off.
During his time in Kalamazoo, Steven created various sculptures using his unique style of using paper mache, design cast, wood, bronze, engraving, and woodcut to create his work. Hansen has had work on display in public or private collections all over the state of Michigan, Los Angeles, New York, London, Paris, Toronto, Naples, Sri Lanka, Rome, and Caracas, including having his work displayed in the Smithsonian collection.
He currently resides in New Mexico and was chosen to provide artwork to the newly constructed AZO terminal in 2011. Hansen was chosen as the interior sculptor because of his whimsical, realistic, and humorous sculpture designs in which everyone can relate. He amplifies the “everyday” occurrences into colorful, playful sculptures.
There are seven sculptures on display within the airport terminal, four freestanding sculptures and three relief sculptures attached to walls. Each of these sculptures is unique and themed to either the airport or the city of Kalamazoo. The most popular among these is a wall mounted relief sculpture depicting the mayor of Kalamazoo pointing out Kalamazoo on his open hand with Kalamazoo and South-West Michigan landmarks shown in the background titled “You Are Here”. The other pieces include Birds of Paradise, Passers By, TSA, Debarking, Carry On and Admin
For more information on Hansen and his latest works, visit his website stephenhansen.com
