[ISEA2009] Artist Talk: Seema Goel – Exact change: the transit shelter, a site of activism

Artist Statement

The transit shelter, generally an overlooked, under-considered object, is a public space offering opportunities for engagement in larger issues and with a diverse range of people. A rethink of the shelter in terms of aesthetics, design, energy, and interactivity changes it from a place of waiting, to one of action, interaction, and power. Usually it is made as a glass box, an object intended to be ‘unseen’. Challenging this absent aesthetic – by announcing geography/location, promoting visible use of renewable energy systems, and increasing comfort of the space – the altered shelter  acknowledges the value of citizens and the transit system it supports.

  • Seema Goel, University of Regina, Canada

Full text (PDF)  p.  1200-1201