Public Transport and Public Art is the winning combination
Building communities that rely on transit, walking and cycling will require greater attention to humanizing transit stations and integrating them into their surrounding context. Public art has a role in this process: it can help make transit stations more than just places to wait. Building the image of transit as an amenity in the community requires recognition of and sensitivity to the fact that the quality of the transportation experience directly affects the quality of the lives of transit users. The experience of travel by transit should be an attraction in itself, and young people have more of a stake in seeing them put into action.
Last May and for 5 months, Rome's Metro A became a contemporary art gallery.
The initiative "Mind the Earth" promoted by the non-profit Yourban 2030 and inspired by the objectives of Agenda 2030, in collaboration with Rome's public transport operator ATAC, and media partner HF4 communication, brought the shots and images of the IRAE editorial project to the seats, ceilings, and walls of the train on the capital's A metro line.
The goal is to transform the subway ride into an artistic experience and, simultaneously, an opportunity to share and reflect on sustainability issues. Mind The Earth wants to raise awareness by linking #PublicTransport and #PlanetEarth. To enrich the experience, the soundtrack by Marco Del Bene , the album “Abissirae” was created for the third issue of the IRAE editorial project. Passengers will be able to listen to the album via a QR Code, creating a moment of collective sharing and transforming the journey into an “augmented” visit of images and sounds.
Furthermore, a big surprise awaits passengers who, starting on Monday 1 July, will return to use the Vittorio Emanuele Metro A station: it is the site-specific work Prospettiva comune (2024) by the South Tyrolean artist Esther Stocker, who has completely transformed the large atrium of the subway for the occasion.
Over 8,000 meters of black adhesive tape, on a white background, cover the walls, ceiling, pillars, and access devices according to a dense system of orthogonal lines and a series of geometric elements anchored to the ceiling and arranged on the ground along the side aisles of this metropolitan cathedral intercept the gaze of passers-by.
Consciously or not, art reflects a society's characteristics and values also when it comes to #PublicTransport
More info here
“Mind The Earth” di Yourban 2030 ph. Ilaria Lagioia
Prospettiva comune (2024) by the South Tyrolean artist Esther Stocker
