Art That Moves You. Literally. New York Taxis to Display Art.

In January 2010, 480 New York City taxicabs will be doing more than just shuttling people around. They'll be displaying three different artists' works in lieu of their usual rooftop advertising.

Show Media, the company that places the advertising signs atop of cabs (often referred to as taxi decks) and the Art Production Fund, a non-profit organization that represents art around the city (and also makes those wonderful artist beach towels) have collaborated to replace 480 New York taxicabs' rooftop signage with works of fine art by contemporary artists Shirin Neshat, Alex Katz and Yoko Ono.



above images are simulations of the proposed art. Comprised photo illustrations by Show Media and the Art Production Fund, courtesy of the NY Times

The project, called "Art Adds" will place each of the three artists' works atop 160 cabs a piece throughout the city.

Alex Katz:


Artist Alex Katz will combine two of his graphic figurative portraits for which he is best known (a forward facing female and a backward facing male) and place them together a top a black background- not unlike his Pas De Deux series of paintings and prints. This will be repeated on both sides of the deck:


Alex Katz, Pas De Deux, 1983:

Alex Katz at work:

above image courtesy of Smithsonian, Pas De Deux, courtesy of the artist

Shirin Neshat:


Shirin Neshat, a multimedia Iranian born artist, will decorate the two sides differently. One will feature her photo of illustrated hands clasped in a handshake, the artist’s symbol of unity and solidarity:




The other, shows her photo of an eye, on which the poem titled “I Feel Sorry for the Garden,” by Forough Farokhzad, a celebrated female Iranian poet is written:



The filmmaker, photographer and artist has often integrated written poetry into her photography and films.

Yoko Ono:


Yoko Ono is employing the theme “War Is Over,” a slogan she and John Lennon used when they took their message of peace around the world in 1969-70. It will appear in english on one side and sign language on the other, like Yoko and John's original posters and artwork shown below.




Perhaps this will open the eyes of busy New Yorkers to art, perhaps not. But it certainly is an effort worth noting. You can read more about the project here.

Other New York Taxi Cab related posts:

•It's Official. Everyone HATES the re-designed NYC TAXI logo.

• NYC Taxi Logo Redesign Submissions

•Hope Flowers In New York: Garden In Transit

NYC Taxi Logo Redesign Submissions

As I reported before, everyone seems to be very disappointed in the New York Taxi Logo redesign, so the NY Times (and I) offered others a whack at their own re-design.
Well, either my readers are shy, or they really are hacks. No one sent me their attempt at a redesigned NYC taxi logo, but they did to the NY Times (Gee, I wonder why? You think they have more credibility and readership?).

Nevertheless, if you don't get around to reading the NY Times online, here are some of the submissions. Any of which are far superior, in my opinion, to the 'bungled' collaboration created by Wolff Olins and Smart Design.

What I found interesting is how many of the new designs came from readers outside the US (Germany, New Zealand and more). Just goes to show you you don't need to be a New Yawker, to "get" New York.


From Scott Schwebel:



From Alex Lloyd:


From Frank Schnaas:


From James Jardee:


From Karman Mir:


From Qui HU (age 13):


From Richard R.:


From Scott Lahod:


Way to go guys! Nice work.

See the original post on the design debacle here.

Hope Flowers In New York: Garden In Transit

Garden in Transit may be the most ambitious community collaboration and public art project in New York City history.



As part of this groundbreaking motivational art, education, and creative therapy project, thousands of kids in schools, hospitals, and community institutions are painting vibrant flowers -- symbolizing joy, life, beauty, and inspiration -- on adhesive weatherproof panels that will be applied to the hoods, trunks and/or roofs of thousands of New York City taxis. Beginning in September 2007 and until year's end, New York City will be visually transformed, as the ubiquitous yellow icon becomes a mobile artistic canvas or -- "Garden in Transit."



Quick Facts:
23,000+ people have participated in Garden in Transit.

90% of participants are from NYC public schools, hospitals and youth programs.

200+ NYC area schools and hospitals are involved.

Youth in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California, Georgia, and Ohio have also participated.

750,000 square feet of floral panels have been painted for the taxis, including 80,000 flowers

Using our 1" brushes as a base, the GIT participants have painted the equivalent of a 1" straight line from NYC to Vail, Colorado, a distance of more than 1,700 miles .

Hundreds of schools, hospitals and after-school programs throughout the City and beyond are participating in Garden in Transit. And thousands of adults are volunteering to lend a hand for what Mayor Bloomberg describes as a "mammoth, once-in-a-lifetime effort." When complete, the project will be a tangible lesson in the power of teamwork and collaboration.



Through their participation in Garden in Transit, thousands of kids of all ages participate in educational sessions in which they learn about, discuss, and express themselves about important current affairs, community issues, individual and social responsibilities, goals and achievements, and -- the power of teamwork.

In school sessions, participating kids integrate their writing, oral and visual presentation skills to express themselves about those individual and societal issues most important to them. As a group, the students evaluate the importance of 14 contemporary issues inclusive of: the environment, education, senior care, national security, ethnic relations, healthcare, women's equality, medical research, foreign aid, poverty, and animal rights. The students then design small-scale taxis representing those issues they would choose to be a vehicle for. The larger art collaboration -- painting the taxi panels -- is a group effort intended, in part, to demonstrate what people cooperating together are able to accomplish.



For children in hospitals, the project serves as creative therapy. Children of all ages and medical and physical conditions, have the opportunity to participate with family members, visitors, medical staffs, and hospital and project volunteers. Specialized Portraits of Hope brushes and painting methods have been incorporated including telescope paint brushes for children and adults with IVs or in wheelchairs, shoe brushes for children with injured upper limbs or who cannot manipulate a brush in their hands, and flavored mouth brushes for those who paint with their mouths. Bedside visits are made to make sure that any child who wishes to participate is able to do so.



Ed Massey and Bernie Massey founded Portraits of Hope in 1995, continuing their utilization of art and poignant visual imagery for large-scale projects of social consequence. The idea for Garden in Transit goes back to 2000 when Ed and Bernie began the drive to make Garden in Transit a reality.