Check out the new art pieces in Terminal 2 of the San Diego International Airport. They went up at the end of February and are intended to be permanent installations. Created by Chicano artists Einar and Jamex de la Torre, they look like gigantic puzzle pieces, some mounted alone and others interlocked.
Arranged in a half dozen or so groupings, according to the regions of the world they celebrate (including North America, Europe, Asia, Central and South America, and Australia/New Zealand) the puzzle pieces evoke specific tourist attractions, as well as the travel required to reach them — and often the knickknacks and tchotchkes associated with them. Much of the imagery is tongue-in-cheek. When I discovered them (on my way to a recent flight to Chicago), I wished for more time to spot and savor the sly jokes. Here’s one I noticed: 
the image of a ghost on the piece saluting the wonders of Wyoming. It wasn’t just any ghost, but Casper, the friendly one (and also the name of Wyoming’s second largest city.)
The de la Torres’ work is only the second permanent art work to be installed in the airport since a master plan for airport art was developed back in 2003. (I wrote about the first last September.) The artists, who were born in Guadalajara, moved to California in 1972 and today maintain studios in both Ensenada and San Diego. Besides the airport authority, the likes of Cheech Marin, Elton John, and Sandra Cisneros have collected their work, which also has been exhibited in galleries internationally.
My only complaint about the airport’s new acquisition is that the majority of the pieces have been hung in the concourse area beyond the security check, which means you can only see them if you’re on a flight. Memo to self: travel more.
I’ll try to remember to get to the airport early enough to study them. They look fascinating and fun.