Emily Pittman
First Sign

2025
Painted Aluminum
Site 1 Exit Plaza

First Sign transforms St. John's International Airport's Exit Plaza into a landmark gateway celebrating arrival in Newfoundland and Labrador. This 10-foot tall sculptural installation reimagines the province's architectural heritage through contemporary geometric abstraction.

The work speaks to multiple layers of arrival and transition. For returning residents, it serves as a familiar signal of homecoming through its interpretation of traditional architecture. For first-time visitors, it provides an introduction to local building traditions that will shape their provincial experience.

The sculpture employs a bold dual-colour strategy where opposing sides feature contrasting hues—coastal pinks blend into foggy whites, heritage reds merge with harbour greys, and Atlantic blues transition to warm sunset oranges. As viewers move through the exit plaza, these colours shift and transform, suggesting relationships between ocean and land, departure and arrival.

Positioned at this critical airport threshold, First Sign marks the moment where travel transforms into arrival and where anticipation becomes reality, grounded in Newfoundland and Labrador's unique character.