Metrolinx Issues Call for Artwork Concept Design for Eglinton Crosstown Stations
TORONTO: March 23, 2016 – Today, Metrolinx issued a Call for Artwork Concept Design to prequalified, short-listed artists as part of an integrated art initiative for six of the future Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit (LRT) project underground stations.
In 2012, Metrolinx created a Metrolinx Public Art and Amenities Framework, with the goal of ensuring a thoughtful, integrated, and high-quality approach to integrated art across Metrolinx and GO Transit facilities. For the Eglinton Crosstown, Metrolinx’s art program will include integrated art components in the intermodal stations; specifically, Mount Dennis, Caledonia, Cedarvale, Eglinton, Science Centre and Kennedy. With this initiative, Metrolinx is moving toward a professionally designed public art program that will place it on par with leading international transit agencies.
“Metrolinx understands the important role that art can play as a tool for city building, economic development and beautification,” said Metrolinx President and CEO, Bruce McCuaig. “Good station design, including the integration of art, builds transit ridership and contributes to a vital city.”
In November 2015, Metrolinx issued an open and invitational call for artists. Metrolinx received 69 qualified submissions [out of 187 applicants] – more than half of them Canadian artists, with a significant portion in Ontario and the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.
In January 2016, Metrolinx prequalified the short-list. An independent selection panel, made up of four specialists, reviewed the artists’ qualifications and artwork submissions prepared for each station. The selection panel consulted with the larger panel appointed by Metrolinx, made up of stakeholders, including the City of Toronto and Crosslinx Transit Solutions (CTS), the Eglinton Crosstown’s private partner constructor.
The 14 short-listed artists are:
Sarah Morris Ed Pien Martin Creed
Pipilotti Rist Stephen Andrews Mark Bradford
Joseph Kosuth Hadley + Maxwell Sara Cwynar
Myfawnwy MacLeod Rodney LaTourelle Dagmara Genda
Lawrence Weiner Douglas Coupland
The selected artists and their respective works will be announced in late spring 2016, and will work with CTS to design and install the integrated art into the Crosstown stations. Metrolinx will commission one artist for each of the six designated stations, plus one mentor candidate. The mentorship feature is a unique component of the program, which will result in the commissioning of a local, emerging artist who has not previously received a public commission for a project of this scale or profile. The mentee artist will be awarded a smaller location at one of the designated stations. Their work is intended to pair with the work of the senior artist awarded the commission for that station.
The final selected fixed artworks will be fully integrated into the finishes of the stations and will be maintained as part of the maintenance contract for the Crosstown. The budget available for integrated art is $8M. This funding is separate and in addition to the public realm amount for the Eglinton Crosstown project.
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Anne Marie Aikins 3/23/2016 |
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