Renee Petropoulos created "Just What Is Your Position" more than 25 years ago. Its Delta installation represents a new life for the monumental piece. Photo by Catherine Opie (source: lawa.org).
Case Study
LAX Terminal
Installation
“Just What Is Your Position”
How we installed Renee Petropoulos’ monumental panel painting “Just What Is Your Position” in one of the world's busiest airports.
In 2021, the Fox Corporation contracted Crozier to perform de-installation, crating, and temporary storage of the striking Petropoulos piece as part of its donation to Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA). The following year, Crozier took on the task of re-installing the panel at a recently constructed Delta terminal.
This installation is noteworthy based on the sheer size of the art. The largest of the five plywood panels measured 96” x 240” and weighed about 485 pounds. Altogether, the painting weighed roughly 2,000 pounds. Further, the plywood was both heavy and flexible. Crozier's crew of eight had to make sure that the panels were properly supported during the lift and lined up exactly as the artist intended. Working in an airport presented its own set of challenges, including trucking the art across the tarmac, navigating around small elevators and doors, and working with enhanced security.
Crozier's crew rose to the challenge; each and every screw was planned months before the installation. They designed a new installation hardware arrangement to ensure the work fastened sturdily to the wall and created a plan to deliver the crated artwork “air-side” across the tarmac. The crew lifted each piece via telehandler to the third-floor level at Terminal 3.
The actual installation took just one week. "Just What Is Your Position" continues to hang in the Delta terminal at LAX—a lively and attention-grabbing tribute to the interplay between art patronage and production, best appreciated as the viewer is in motion.
Gallery
Navigating the layout of the then under-construction airport was one of the challenges this installation posed.
Creating installation-specific hardward for the 2,000-pound work was also a challenge. Each and every bolt and screw was planned in advance of the installation.
There were stringent procedures in place to deliver the heavy panels to the job site, including trucking the art in across the tarmac and lifting it in through the third floor in order to access the terminal.
Crozier designed a custom A-frame cart to hold the panels.
Due to the size and weight of the artwork panels, the installation process had to be done sequentially.
During installation, Crozier's custom crates had to be dissasembled and chopped to fit through service elevators. Almost there!
The final installation was well worth the effort. Once done, the post-construction cleaning crew (at left) had their own work to do.
The Artist
