The Commuter’s Gallery

Public art plays a critical role in shaping a city’s urban landscape, offering many benefits that enhance the quality of life for its residents and visitors alike. It mirrors the community’s identity, values, and history while providing a window into the possibilities of collective imagination and future aspirations. Cities can foster a sense of belonging, inclusivity, and pride by integrating sculptures, murals, installations, and other art forms into public spaces.

In transportation hubs, where the hustle and bustle of daily commutes can feel monotonous and impersonal, public art offers a moment of pause, reflection, and even wonder. It turns subway stations, bus terminals, and airports into galleries, making art accessible to everyone and integrating it into the fabric of everyday life.

Los Angeles-based artist Geoff McFetridge has contributed to the public art landscape with projects that deeply resonate with the city’s urban experience and communities. His project, “Us as a Measure of Openness” at the Westchester/Veterans Station for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, showcases communities of people interacting with large abstract shapes, symbolizing architecture and city infrastructure. The figures depicted range from mothers and children to gardeners and lawyers, each uniquely expressive and reflective of the city’s diverse population. This project beautifies the public transit space and invites reflection on the interconnectedness of individuals within the urban environment.

Through these projects, McFetridge continues to explore themes of community, change, and the nuances of living in a sprawling urban landscape like Los Angeles, making his work aesthetically striking and deeply meaningful (MetroArt).

Beautiful Benches

The Beautiful Benches project by Omnitrans is an innovative initiative to transform concrete bus benches across the San Bernardino Valley into vibrant public art pieces. This initiative is calling upon artists from the Inland Empire to submit their unique art designs for a chance to paint one of 50 bus benches. This project is a testament to integrating public art within urban transit systems, aiming to enhance the visual landscape of public transportation areas.

This effort is supported by the California Arts Council and the Inland SoCal Creative Corps, highlighting the importance of fostering local talent and celebrating community-centric narratives through art. The Beautiful Benches project reflects the growing recognition of public art’s role in creating more engaging and vibrant urban spaces, particularly within the transit systems integral to daily life in urban settings.