Artistic Stockholm Subway System

Jun 4, 2011 4 comments

The Stockholm subway system is said to be the longest art exhibition in the world - 110 kilometers in length. Traveling by subway is like traveling through an exciting story that extends from the artistic pioneers of the 1950s to the art experiments of today. Over 90 of the 100 subway stations in Stockholm have been decorated with sculptures, mosaics, paintings, installations, engravings and reliefs by over 150 artists. It’s a part of a long tradition of public art for public transport.

stockholm-subway1

The Kungsträdgården subway station looks like an archaeological excavation, with the remains of the old Stockholm Makalös palace. At Östermalmstorg the artist Siri Derkert highlights women's rights and peace and environmental issues. The roof of one Stockholm station is red-lit, making it appear to be covered in billowing flames, and another boasts ancient-looking statues carved out of the tunnel walls.

Another has also taken a classical theme, with foliage entwined around pillars; while others are more modern, with rainbows painted over the rough-hewn rock surface and multi-coloured arrows pointing passengers in the right direction.

Their website states: 'The art makes the stations perceived as more beautiful, safer and it helps to make the trip into something more than just a transport between two places.

stockholm-subway2

stockholm-subway3

stockholm-subway5

stockholm-subway6

stockholm-subway8

stockholm-subway9

stockholm-subway10

stockholm-subway11

stockholm-subway12

stockholm-subway13

stockholm-subway14

stockholm-subway15

stockholm-subway16

stockholm-subway17

stockholm-subway18

stockholm-subway19

stockholm-subway20

stockholm-subway21

stockholm-subway22

stockholm-subway23

stockholm-subway24

stockholm-subway25

stockholm-subway26

stockholm-subway27

Thanks Reddit, Sources: 1, 2

Comments

  1. Screw going somewhere. I'd ride it just to see this!

    ReplyDelete
  2. My city has a policy where 1% of the cost of the project has to go to public art. All we ended up with was a few bits of colored concrete. Look what can happen if you invest real money into public art. Beautiful spaces that people enjoy being in.

    ReplyDelete
  3. STOCKHOLM : 1% of the cost of the project has to go to public art. Congratulations :) (I live in Brazil)

    ReplyDelete
  4. They missed the best, Thorilsplan, 8bit theme:

    http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/momondorussia/28504203/81837/81837_original.jpg

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

More on Amusing Planet

{{posts[0].title}}

{{posts[0].date}} {{posts[0].commentsNum}} {{messages_comments}}

{{posts[1].title}}

{{posts[1].date}} {{posts[1].commentsNum}} {{messages_comments}}

{{posts[2].title}}

{{posts[2].date}} {{posts[2].commentsNum}} {{messages_comments}}

{{posts[3].title}}

{{posts[3].date}} {{posts[3].commentsNum}} {{messages_comments}}