We were selected by the Amsterdam Public Transport Company to transform one of the old "Zilvermeeuw" subway cars into art.
In 2008, the Amsterdam Public Transport Company GVB started to transform various subway-carriages into riding artworks. When we read on the website of Kunstenaars&Co that you could submit your own design proposition to renovate one of the 30 year old subway cars, we did it immediately - in a heartbeat! An artist could submit an idea and out of all those submissions, 40 artists were selected to create a new subway interior. And then we got the news: we were selected! After a little dance of joy we started our work, what a great assignment!
With our design, the common dark gray atmosphere of the underground has been transformed into a colorful underwater world. Mermaids swim along, an octopus hides under an umbrella and a turtle takes you on a journey into the unknown. The subway consists of two differently designed so-called 'bins' (compartments). One has a predominantly green color which reminds you of the deep underwater, where strange little creatures are floating around. The other which is purple, suggests that it's closer to the surface, where small fish are flirting with the sparklings of the sunlight onto the water.
This Art project for the Subway is an initiative of the Amsterdam Community, Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunst, Kunstenaars&CO, Stadsregio Amsterdam and GVB. All illustrations by the artists are printed and affixed to the subway interior by Fleetshield. For more info about this Subway Zilvermeeuw project , click this link to the GVB-website.
