Finding aid for the Metro Art Department Collection of Metro Rail Public Art Photographs
Denise Villegas
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Research Library and Archive
© 2012
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
One Gateway Plaza
15th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90012-2952
Phone: (213) 922-4859
Fax: (213) 922-7955
Email: library@metro.net
URL: http://www.metro.net/library
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. All rights reserved.
Finding aid for the Metro Art Department Collection of Metro Rail Public Art Photographs
Collection number: 22-DPGTL
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Research Library and ArchiveLos Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Los Angeles, California
- Processed and encoded by:
- Denise Villegas
- Date Completed:
- August 8, 2012
© 2012 Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. All rights reserved.
Title: Metro Art Department collection of Metro Rail public art photographs
Dates: 1991 - 2001
Bulk Dates: 1993 - 1996
Collection number: 22-DPGTL
Creator:
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Collection Size:
1 box
0.417 linear feet
Repository:
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Research Library and Archive
Los Angeles, CA 90012-2952
Abstract: The Art Department of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA, Metro), created in 1989 under
the predecessor transportation agency, Southern California Rapid Transit District (SCRTD), has worked to incorporate public
art and transportation. The opening of light and heavy rail transit in Los Angeles presented many opportunities for artists
to work with what was, at the time, planning by the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission and SCRTD, and what is now
the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA), also known as Metro. Artwork for each station on the
Metro Rail lines correspond with the history and culture, as well as the artist's perspective of, the area surrounding the
station.
Physical location: For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Administrative/Biographical History
Working to incorporate public art and transportation projects since the department's creation in 1989, Metro's Art Department
was heavily involved in the design of stations along the heavy and light rail transit lines, dedicating 0.05% of rail construction
costs specifically to art.
Artists were selected for these projects to create public art pieces that reflected the communities to be served by the rail
lines by a process of peer review. Artwork was an integral part of the design and structure of each station.
163 color and black and white photographs total. 35 of these photographs depict public artwork installed at Blue Line stations,
163 photographs depict artwork installed at Red Line stations. All photographs in this collection have a label adhered to
the backside containing information about the photo such as the name of the artwork, the artist's name, the architect's name
if applicable, and the photographer's name.
Metro Art Department collection of Metro Rail public art photographs, 22-DPGTL. Dorothy Payton Grey Transportation Library.
Photographs were found in plastic sheets within a plastic, three-ring binder and were re-housed with original order retained.
Photographs are arranged in two series, the Blue Line and the Red Line, with sub-series corresponding with stations along
those rail lines.
Known as the Metro Library under the Southern California Rapid Transit District, the library and its materials were retained
by the successor agency, Los Angeles County Transportation Authority, undergoing a name change in October 2001 to commemorate
the work of former librarian, Dorothy Peyton Gray.
Please contact the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Research Library and Archive for information on
collection access and restrictions.
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use
For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Research
Library and Archive for reproduction or publication is given by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Research Library and Archive as the owner of the physical items. The researcher assumes all responsibility for possible infringement
that may arise from reproduction or publication of materials from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Research Library and Archive.
Container list available.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Los Angeles County Transportation Commission
Southern California Rapid Transit District
Related materials about the construction and plans for the Red and Blue Metro Rail Lines may be found in this repository.
More information about the artwork depicted in these photographs can be found online at:
http://www.metro.net/about/art/