Imagine's bus shelter invites participation.
A woman waiting for the bus puts a sticker next to the road where she lives
Graphics were printed and installed by DGI, a professional digital printing company which works a lot with the MBTA.
#ARTBRT: Imagine
Sneha Shrestha, an accomplished street artist who goes by the artist name Imagine, typically brings vivid shades of orange and layers of her native Nepali script into her graffiti-style painted murals. You can see references to both of these distinctive trademarks in a very different work that she made for the BRT Pilot Project.
Imagine's participatory concept was to invite bus riders to interact with the artwork by adding stickers to mark their origins and destinations. With time, the stickers would build up, giving a visual representation of local travel.
Cecily worked with Arlington Public Art to curate temporary installations in 5 bus shelters as part of the Town's BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) Pilot Project. The BRT Pilot experimented with ways to improve public transportation – specifically the morning commute on buses that run along Mass Avenue. Art installations supported this effort by landmarking bus shelters and creating a buzz. Each shelter design was unique, reflecting the style and interests of each artist; several of the artists also executed coordinated elements along Mass Ave. Shared themes included protecting the environment, connecting with neighbors, and enlivening the experience of waiting for the bus. The art successfully celebrated the Town’s initiative to improve bus service so residents can leave their cars at home.