FLUX PROJECTS, ATLANTA DESIGN FESTIVAL AND MARTA ARTBOUND JOIN FORCES TO LAUNCH RAILTALK-RE-CONNECT
FLUX PROJECTS, ATLANTA DESIGN FESTIVAL AND MARTA ARTBOUND EXPAND HIGHLY ACCLAIMED RAILTALK TO SEVEN STATIONS FOR FIVE MONTHS LEADING UP TO ATLANTA DESIGN FESTIVAL
Interactive Social Design Installation Engages Riders to Leave Positive Messages of Inspiration
June 8 Through October 9
Artist Wouter Corvers interacts with his collaborative and socially conscious design installation
ATLANTA (June 10, 2022) – Flux Projects, Atlanta Design Festival, and MARTA Artbound joined forces to bring back critically acclaimed Dutch design collaborators Bouke Bruins and Wouter Corvers for Railtalk-Re-Connect, their site-specific, interactive social design installation that engages riders to leave positive messages of inspiration. First launched at two stations in 2019 for nine days, this year Railtalk-Re-Connect has expanded to seven stations and will continue for five months, starting Wednesday, June 8, and culminating during the Atlanta Design Festival, October 1 – 9.
The intersection of public art, design, and public transit presents the opportunity to create unexpected interactions between travelers and provide entertainment as people wait for trains and buses. In 2019, over 23,000 riders experienced Railtalk with more than 4,000 leaving messages in just nine days. With this year's extended run and additional stations, organizers aim to further enhance the MARTA experience.
“MARTA stations are amazing public spaces that serve people of all walks of life,” says Flux Projects Executive Director Anne Dennington. “With Railtalk-Re-Connect, we are especially excited to engage and connect people across the metro area in stations that are north, south, east, and west of the city.”
Railtalk-Re-Connect will present riders with magnetic letters so that they can freely form texts on metal surfaces. It is meant to encourage interaction and facilitate a collaborative creative process that allows multiple stakeholders to take part in the ridership experience.
Riders can participate at the North Springs, Doraville, Lindbergh Center, West End, College Park, H.E. Holmes, and Indian Creek stations.
“This project aims to create unexpected interactions between transit riders and provide entertainment for those waiting for their train or bus,” said MARTA’s Art in Transit Director Katherine Dirga. “We’ve been through a lot these past two years, and I think we could all use some words of encouragement or even a good laugh. I hope everyone takes a moment in their travels to have some fun with Railtalk-Re-Connect.”
“Railtalk-Re-Connect is an important social design project for MARTA and their ridership”, said Atlanta Design Festival’s Co-Founder, Elayne DeLeo. “MARTA is critically important to the economic and social health of Atlanta; it benefits those who choose to ride, as well as those who have no other choice. Railtalk-Re-Connect is an interactive and unexpected experience for riders from differing neighborhoods, cultures and economic strata, giving them an opportunity to publicly express their ideas, thoughts, and feelings while on their way to work or play. We look forward to seeing the results of the project and its impact on the rider experience.”
Bruins and Corvers form an energetic maker combination. While Bruins focuses with his Boy Scout Designer mentality on creating dialogue through playful interventions, Corvers has his focus on accessibility for all. Both have independent studios and collaborate to push and find bigger challenges in public space. With Railtalk-Re-Connect, they want to create a dialogue between travelers by giving an analog canvas where they can share their thoughts, show their passion for language, explain their daily habits, or express compassion for global challenges.
“We strive to promote as much interaction as possible between all layers of society, the more diverse the better,” said Bruins and Corvers.
Organizers hope that riders will find their favorite spot at their MARTA station, share a beautiful message, and reconnect.
L to R: Ayan Ahmed (board chair of Flux Projects), Floyd Hall (Flux Projects Brand Manager), Wouter Corvers (artist), Collie Greenwood (MARTA CEO), Rita Scott (MARTA board chair), Bouke Bruins (artist), Katherine Dirga (MARTA’s Art in Transit Director), Anne Dennington (Flux Projects Executive Director), Rebekka Kuntschik (Flux Projects Development Director)
About Flux Projects:
Since 2010, Flux Projects has connected community through ambitious public art installations and events, free for all to experience. From compelling video and immersive performances to innovative multimedia installations and experimental sound art, Flux Projects presents works by exceptional artists to engage Atlanta’s shared public spaces. Placing projects in parks, neighborhoods, historic buildings, and other surprising places, Flux Projects inspires wonder and imagination, transforming the experience of contemporary art for thousands of people each year. Find out more at www.fluxprojects.org
About MARTA Artbound
Artbound is MARTA’s public art program, dedicated to helping you enjoy the ride. With engaging visual art, dance, theater, and live music, we hope the stations will feel like destinations in themselves, a place to see or hear something that brightens your day.
About Atlanta Design Festival
Atlanta Design Festival is an open platform, ideal for fostering international dialogue on the economic and social impact of design. It provides connection, the free exchange of knowledge, design thinking and community building. Each year, the Festival brings together independent designers, established brands, young talent, international speakers from academia, NGOs and government entities, exhibitions, installations and architecture tour. This activity is defined as ‘the design economy’ – the direct and indirect value created by those who use design in a wide variety of industries. www.atlantadesignfestival.net
