Bus-Tops launches in London
Date uploaded: April 2, 2012
Bus-Tops launches in London
Bus-Tops is a digital art project that has been rolled out to 30 bus shelters in 20 boroughs across London. The project consists of 30 red and black LED screens located on the roofs of bus shelters. The stops create a new exhibition space for the public – as whilst the project began with 9 commissions from professional artists, the public are now able to create their own artworks and submit them to the curators.
The displays are controlled via the internet, with the curators changing the images at different times of day and on different routes. And the project is part of a bigger scheme from 12 public art commissions that is being launched across Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland - and will result in bus stop shelters across the UK being decorated with 2012 London Olympic-inspired art.
Mark Titchner, the Turner Prize nominee, is one of the first to display his work in a series of motivational challenges and inspirational commands. Some of them read: ‘If you don’t like your life, you can change it’ and ‘Act or be Acted Upon’. His contribution comes from a self-improvement programme with 31 slogans that change every day. The intention is that commuters and other travellers have a quick message that they can take with them on their journeys. He’s interested in how language communicates meanings – slogans need people to apply them for them to mean anything.
The Arts Council England is funding Bus-Tops in collaboration with Transport for London (TfL). The displays are controlled via the internet, with the curators changing the images at different times of day and on different routes. The passengers on the top decks of double deckers will have a great view of the images.
Art Public is the organisation responsible for the project. The idea is to challenge conventions in public spaces and to inspire travellers on buses.
