Does art imitate aviation or........?

Aerodynamics, even at its most primitive, conspires to make aeroplanes art. If they aren't art, they don't fly. Engineering and art share a spectrum, even if some manifestations of each are at opposite ends.

TAG Aviation, not satisfied with having created the world's coolest terminal and sexiest hangar (above) at Britain's oldest aerodrome (Farnborough), expects it to be the venue for an exhibition of world class contemporary art sometime soon.

TAG is the acronym for Techniques d'Avant Garde. As Michael Caine allegedly says, "not a lot of people know that."

Anyway, the art/aviation connection was established when Tatiana Ojjeh, grand-niece of TAG Group founder Akram Ojjeh, proposed to take her forbear at his word and mount a contemporary art exhibition at a TAG base.  Her uncle, TAG Group president Mansour Ojjeh was delighted with the idea.

The first location, working with Geneva's Opera Gallery, was at the TAG chalet at the 2011 European Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition at Geneva (see below)...

 Tatiana Ojjeh with Tempetes Inconnues by Georges Mathieu, exhibited at the TAG Chalet, EBACE 2011. Photography Steve Eastell

Originals exhibited at EBACE included works by Joan Miró, Pablo Picasso and Damien Hirst among many. The value of the works on view was about $40 million, and all were for sale.

Mansour Ojjeh with Tatiana in front of Damien Hirst's 5-AMINOURACIL at EBACE 2011

Tatiana Ojjeh said her new Artliner venture "explores ways of marrying art and aviation" as a way of enriching the business aviation travel experience. She expects to stage an exhibition at TAG Farnborough in due course.

TAG Farnborough's tower