Passengers arriving in the country through the International Terminal (T2) at Santiago de Chile Airport will find a new permanent gallery dedicated to living Chileans whose work has helped put the country on the world map. The initiative, called Somos Chile, was developed by Aeropuerto Santiago de Chile in partnership with Marca Chile and aims to promote national identity, culture, and talent as part of the experience for those passing through the country’s main airport.
The inauguration was led by the Undersecretary of Tourism, María Paz Lagos; the general manager of Santiago de Chile Airport, Nicolas Claude; and the acting executive director of Marca Chile, Enzo Abbagliati. It was attended by the board of directors of the concessionaire—composed of representatives from Groupe ADP, VINCI Airports, and Gestione Concessioni—as well as officials and some of the honorees in the gallery.
An Introduction to Chilean Stories
Located in the arrival corridors on the second level of the various concourses at the International Terminal, the exhibition features, in this first phase, 40 prominent figures from fields such as science, sports, culture, music, gastronomy, entrepreneurship, innovation, and the arts, lining the route that passengers take from the plane to the immigration and baggage claim areas.
“Showcasing Chile to the world isn’t just about promoting our destinations—it’s also about showing who we are. For thousands of tourists, this airport is their first encounter with our country, and this gallery ensures that this initial experience also reflects our stories, our talents, and what defines us. Because while our landscapes may inspire someone to visit Chile, it’s the experience they have here that will make them want to return and recommend us to others,” said Undersecretary of Tourism María Paz Lagos.
For his part, Nicolas Claude, general manager of Santiago de Chile Airport, noted that “Somos Chile” “transforms a transit space into an invitation to discover stories that reflect the diversity and contributions of Chileans in various fields. It is a project we have been developing alongside Marca Chile for over a year, and it aims to strengthen passengers’ connection to the country from the moment they arrive.”
In this regard, Marca Chile’s acting executive director, Enzo Abbagliati, noted that “the country also projects itself to the world through its people. This gallery allows us to showcase the diversity of talents that, from different disciplines and backgrounds, contribute to Chile ’s presence in the world. Our collaboration with Santiago de Chile Airport has been key to bringing this perspective on the country to a space as significant as the main gateway—which, in many cases, is the first physical point of contact with our country.”
Each artwork features a QR code that links to a website developed specifically for the project, where passengers can learn about each character’s story and access supplementary content in Spanish and English, extending the experience beyond the physical installation.
The visual concept features portraits enhanced with a painterly treatment inspired by the oil painting technique, lending aesthetic unity to the gallery and adding a cultural dimension to the passengers’ journey. Among the personalities featured in *Somos Chile* are Isabel Allende, Sebastián Lelio, Don Francisco, Cecilia Bolocco, Manuel Pellegrini, Christiane Endler, Iván Zamorano, Los Jaivas, Los Bunkers, Mon Laferte, José Maza, María Teresa Ruiz, Teresa Paneque, Bárbara Hernández, Francisca Crovetto, Nicolás Massú, and Fernando González, along with representatives from science, innovation, entrepreneurship, gastronomy, and other disciplines who have helped project Chile’s image internationally.
Learn more about Somos Chile.
