Creativity, art and urban mobility in a public train

Cecilia Dinardi joined the Creative Lab in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, an arts residency-exchange programme as part of which she coordinated the Transcultural Train Pilot Project: a series of arts interventions in a public train at Brazil’s Central Station. Designed in collaboration with local academics, artists and activists, the interdisciplinary project sought to generate creative disruptions and social connections among passengers in a train connecting Rio de Janeiro’s centre with its peripheral areas, to test the role the arts can play in re-signifying commuting time and train travel. Another aim was to raise awareness of the mobility issues that affect the city, particularly in light of the spatial transformations triggered by the upcoming Olympic Games.

The idea of the pilot project was to occupy one train car, as a preview of the transcultural train, seeking to generate moments of irruption in the city – a sudden invasion, an abrupt and hasty entrance – which may raise questions, create discomfort and reflection around the lack of connection between people, processes, objects and urban areas of the city.

Six interventions tackling urban mobility issues (wheelchair dancing, physical theatre, hip hop, opera singing, stand up, happening) were organised in carriages and at the station and filmed for a showcase of a video installation at the Creative Lab-Multiplicity Festival, 16^th-19^th May 2016.

A second video was also shot with interviews with urban mobility experts talking about train travel, arts and social relations.

To read the Creative Lab e-book with information about all collaborative projects click on: http://labcriativo.org/ebook/

Photo by PPP