Art in Transit (AiT): Navigating Creativity in Urban Flux

In the whirlwind of urban transformation, cities grapple with their past, present, and future. How can art and design illuminate this journey for a city in flux? Let us explore the interplay of creativity, context, and contradiction: 

 Locative Identity:
Each metro station in Bangalore is more than a mere transit point; it is a distinctive node within its community.
Unlike flyovers that pass overhead, these stations are grounded, woven into the fabric of daily life.
Their locative nature—their rootedness—becomes our canvas. 

The Metro’s Dichotomy:
The metro system embodies a paradox: it is both a catalyst for progress and a harbinger of challenges.
On one hand, it accelerates urbanization, displacing communities and impacting the environment.
On the other, it is an efficient lifeline, connecting people across the city. 

Art as Urban Alchemy:
Enter Art in Transit (AiT) a dynamic platform where artists, designers, and thinkers converge. Since 2014, AiT has infused Bangalore’s metro stations with creativity. It is not just about aesthetics; it is about meaning making. 

Navigating Contradictions:
AiT thrives on contradictions, the fertile ground where art blooms.
Value vs. Impact, Activism vs. Gentrification, Ephemeral vs. Archival, ecology vs industry, conservations vs consumerism, these binaries intersect.
Through place & practice–based immersion, AiT grapples with the city’s pulse. 

Since 2014, Art in Transit has become a dynamic platform for diverse voices in contemporary public art practice to converge within the rich and resonant urban context of Bangalore city. The project seeks to further collaborations with artists in other cities in transition – shaped by the forces of technology, migration, gentrification, urbanization, and the rapid pace of change. 

1) LIVING LIBRARIES:
Weaving Ecological Narratives at Cubbon Park Metro Station as pilot
In the heart of Bengaluru, where the city’s pulse meets the rustle of leaves, the Living Library unfolds, a vibrant initiative that transcends mere infrastructure. Let us explore its purpose, aspirations, and the threads that bind it to our urban fabric: 

Community-Driven Vision:
The Living Library is not about books; it is about cultivating connections. It envisions a participatory space, a dynamic dialogue between people, ecology, and creativity. 

Goals Unfurled:
Learning City: Bengaluru, a hub of knowledge, becomes a playground for curiosity. Creative learning and making thrive at various metro stations.
Ecological Engagement: We aim to co-create and bring together a repository of tools—gateways to the park’s ecology. From children to senior citizens, from IT professionals to students, everyone finds wonder within these pages.
Inclusive Networks: Our partnerships span neighbourhoods, institutions, and social organizations. We draw resources from local associations, vendors, and citizens.
Experiences Unfold: Workshops, walks, and exhibitions breathe life into the station. SMI and beyond—the community converges.
Place-Based Identities: Each neighbourhood in Bengaluru has a unique story. We celebrate culture, diversity, and the spirit of belonging.
Art as Catalyst: Local, national, and international artists and designers join hands with students and communities. Their creativity shapes our shared narrative.
Sustainable Threads: Metro as the icon for the city’s sustainable mobility solutions. We weave processes of inclusion, quality, and longevity into our projects. 

Beyond the Tracks:
The Living Library is not confined to Cubbon Park. It is a beacon for cities in transition.
As technology hums, as migration redraws boundaries, we continue to write our chapters.
In this living, breathing library, the walls listen, the leaves whisper, and the city turns its pages. Let us read, create, and reimagine together. 

2) BIOCON- HEBBAGODI Metro Station and beyond
Biocon Foundation approached Art in Transit to collaborate on a major art initiative spanning 44 piers from Biocon-Hebbagoddi Metro Station. They also sought a distinctive artwork for the station’s main concourse wall.
SMI’s teams, led by artists and faculty, developed pitches for Biocon Foundation’s CEO, Dr. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw.

The selected concept, ‘The Pillars of Bengaluru,’ led by Faculty Johnny Ganta and SMI students, features 44 essential workforces as metaphorical pillars of the city.  Each pillar depicts faces inspired by Bangalore’s diverse population, styled with motifs from Channa Patna craft and attire patterns influenced by Kasuti embroidery. This artwork celebrates the city’s people and crafts, visible as a vibrant tribute to Bangalore’s informal and formal working sector

Adya Girdhar: Project Manager
Gunveen Kaur: Project Manager 
Simran Satija: Lead Illustrator
Sanskriti Patni: Illustrator
Aditi Garg: Product Manager
Srishti Bajaj: Concept Visualiser