CTA seeks artists for Red Line South stations, Wilson Station to be rebuilt next year; Agency also provides first look at artwork plans for seven rehabbed north Red Line stations
Mayor Emanuel and Chicago Transit Authority President Forrest Claypool today announced that the CTA has kicked off a search for artists to create public artwork for rail stations currently being renovated and improved as part of the Red Line South Reconstruction Project. In addition, the CTA will also seek an artist for the Wilson Red Line Station, which will be rebuilt next year into a modern Red-Purple Line transfer station.
Also as part of today’s announcement, President Claypool unveiled renderings of artwork that will be permanently installed and displayed at seven North Red Line stations that were rehabbed last year. The Chicago Transit Board approved the contracts for the artwork June 12.
“This project will help showcase our city’s great and diverse artistic talents to our ridership in the very communities that inspired the works,” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “This artistic initiative allows all CTA riders to gain a more personal understanding of the uniqueness, history and diversity of our city’s neighborhoods as they travel throughout out city.”
The CTA already has more than 50 works of art at 41 stations along the Pink, Red and Brown lines. This public collection of art will continue to expand with the addition of artwork at 16 Red Line stations on the North and South Sides of the city.
“Mayor Emanuel and I have committed to expanding public art at CTA stations to promote a friendly and inviting atmosphere that enhances the public transit travel experience,” said President Claypool. “The artwork will reflect the unique, vibrant communities that surround each station and extend the benefits of our station improvements to every customer who walks through our station doors. I want to thank Ald. Cappleman, Moore and Osterman for their extensive involvement and assistance with this project.”
The CTA today will issue a Call for Artists soliciting artist qualifications to create artwork for the Wilson station and for the eight Red Line South stations. Bids for the Call for Artists are due Thursday, July 18, 2013.
Public meetings will be held on the following dates to provide interested artists and communities with additional information about the respective projects:
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Wilson Public Art Community Meeting
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Tuesday, July 2 at 6 p.m.
Weiss Memorial Hospital Auditorium,
4646 North Marine Drive
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Red Line South Public Art Community Meetings
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Thursday, June 27
6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Greater Harvest Missionary Baptist Church
5141 S. State Street
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*Tuesday, July 9
1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Chicago Police Headquarters
3510 S Michigan Avenue
(*this meeting is only regarding the Sox-35th Red Line station)
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Wednesday, July 10
1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Chinatown Library
2353 S. Wentworth Avenue
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Artwork will be installed at Red Line South stations at Cermak-Chinatown, Sox-35th, 47th, Garfield, 63rd, 69th, 79th and 87th. Those stations, along with the 95th Street terminal, were temporarily closed on May 19 as part of the CTA’s $425 million Red Line South Reconstruction Project. All stations are being upgraded with new lighting, painting, electrical substation work and other improvements while the railroad is completely rebuilt. The Red Line South is expected to reopen in October 2013.
The 95th Street terminal will be completely rebuilt next year as part of a separate, $240 million project. Artwork for that station is expected to be procured separately.
The Wilson station will be reconstructed into a modern Red-Purple transfer station in a $203 million project slated to begin later this year.
For the Red North station projects, nearly 300 artists submitted their credentials and qualifications to be considered for the commissioning of the seven artworks. From these applications, an evaluation committee selected 31 artists/artist teams from all submissions based on artistic merit, qualifications and professional recognition of the artists, and the artists’ written statements of interest. The selected artists were provided a summary of community input solicited by the CTA during three public meetings last fall, which was taken into consideration as the artists created and submitted station-specific proposals. As a result of this process, the following contracts were awarded:
- Jarvis, Thomas Denlinger
- Morse, Harold Mendez
- Thorndale, Jim Bachor
- Granville, Kyungmi Shin
- Berwyn, Dorothy Hughes
- Argyle, Lynn Basa
- Lawrence, DeeDee Morrison
The artwork for the seven north Red Line stations is paid for with Transit Enhancement Funds from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The total project budget is nearly $621,000 and includes all costs including artist fees, fabrication, shipping/delivery, installation, administrative fees and a project contingency fund. Similar federal funds will be used for the commissioning of public artwork installed at Red Line South and Wilson stations.
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More Information
North Red LIne Art
Red Line South Reconstruction Project
Wilson Station Reconstruction Project