Travelers passing through Nashville International Airport this summer will encounter more than flights and terminals. Beginning this week, the airport’s newest ‘Flying Solo’ exhibition is transforming parts of BNA into a gallery space showcasing the work of local artists from across the Nashville area.
The Spring/Summer 2026 edition of the airport’s ‘Flying Solo’ series officially opened May 19 and will remain on display through Aug. 2. The seasonal exhibit features glass artwork, mixed-media collage and photography from Nashville-based artists Meredith Edmondson, Martica Griffin and Russ Harrington.
The installation is part of BNA’s long-running Arts at the Airport program, which began in 1988 and highlights Tennessee artists and culture for both visitors and residents traveling through the airport. Organizers say the program is intended to give travelers a sense of Nashville’s creative identity beyond its music scene.
Among the featured works is ‘Distorted Flow,’ a blown and fused glass installation by Nashville native Meredith Edmondson located on Concourse D near Gate D2. Edmondson’s work explores the relationship between color, light and pattern through layered glass compositions that shift depending on perspective and lighting.
Edmondson began working with glass while attending Tennessee Tech University’s Appalachian Center for Craft and later earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree there in 2009. Over the years, she has collaborated on large-scale projects with organizations including Pinnacle Bank, Nissan and the Nashville Public Library system. She also received a 2024 Individual Artist Fellowship from the Tennessee Arts Commission.
Also featured in the exhibit is ‘A Tennessee Paper Menagerie’ by Nashville artist Martica Griffin, displayed on Concourse D near Gate D4. Griffin’s collage-based work blends painted papers, found materials and layered textures inspired by landscapes, architecture and popular culture.
Originally from Valdosta, Georgia, Griffin studied painting at East Carolina University before continuing postgraduate studies at the School of Visual Arts in New York. Her work has appeared in both public and private collections and is known for its energetic colors and abstract visual style.
Photographer Russ Harrington’s exhibit ‘Locals’ is featured near the Concourse A/B pre-security exit. Harrington is widely recognized for photographing some of country music’s biggest names, including Loretta Lynn, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Reba McEntire and Keith Urban.
One of Harrington’s most well-known images was the cover photograph of Loretta Lynn and Jack White for Lynn’s Grammy-winning album Van Lear Rose. His photography career has included more than 600 album covers and extensive editorial work throughout the music industry.
The airport exhibit, however, focuses on a different side of Harrington’s photography. ‘Locals’ highlights overlooked everyday scenes and ordinary moments that Harrington says first inspired his interest in photography years ago.
Airport officials say the Flying Solo series continues BNA’s effort to support local artists while improving the overall traveler experience.
Together, the three exhibits offer travelers a broad look at Nashville’s visual arts community through photography, sculpture and mixed media installations positioned throughout some of the airport’s busiest corridors.
