You may spot some new works of art on your daily commute, thanks to four George Mason University student artists. These students will have original animations displayed on screens in six Metro stations as part of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s Art in Transit Program.
Student artists Valeria Hunt from the Computer Game Design Program and Taka Hunter, Joseph Cameron Rhodes Murdock, and Jennifer Perez from the School of Art each created 20-second animations, working on their projects in summer and fall of 2024.
Those animations will now get to shine in the Crystal City, Farragut North, NoMa-Gallaudet U, Gallery Place-Chinatown, L’Enfant Plaza, and Metro Center stations. They will be on display for one year, beginning in December.
Work on the new collaboration between the Fairfax-based university and WMATA began in 2023.
“From the very first meeting, I was drawn to the Art in Transit Program’s evolving nexus of art, culture, and community,” said Gail Scott White, a professor in the School of Art who helped make the collaboration happen. “It seemed like the perfect experiential learning opportunity for [College of Visual and Performing Arts] students to work through the processes of idea generation and concept development, receive individual mentorship, and to create frame-by-frame animations of their own design that would be publicly displayed, reaching Metro viewers from all walks of life.”
Other GMU faculty members involved in the process were Film and Video Studies Adjunct Faculty Rebekah Wingert-Jabi, and Film and Video Studies Program Director Cynthia Fuchs.
The collaboration is part of WMATA’s Digital Art Initiative, which has displayed digital artwork from community partners since it began in 2018.
Here’s a sneak peek of the artworks you’ll see in the Metro, along with statements from the student artists.
Valeria Hunt, Man with the Suitcase
“My stop-motion cut-out animation, Man with the Suitcase, portrays moments from everyday life that many people can relate to. I used watercolors and ink, scissors and glue, found materials, facial expressions and physical gestures to visually engage and emotionally connect with the viewer. Inspired by personal experiences and observations of social interactions, this short film encourages viewers to reflect on their own experiences of human non-verbal communications. Man with the Suitcase is about daily struggles, with a touch of humor to help us get through the day.”
Taka Hunter, Ichi Nichi
“Ichi Nichi (One Day) is a short piece made up of day-to-day moments. Animated in Clip Studio Paint, the work features a set of characters inspired by treasured experiences and people in my life. Through my art I aim to appreciate every person’s pursuit of happiness and the inherent beauty of our mundane lives. I hope that viewers can connect with elements of the work in whatever small way. If there’s anything I want to achieve with Ichi Nichi, it’s to make someone feel seen.”
Joseph Cameron Rhodes Murdock, The Magnificent Pixie Titans and the Workshop Varmint
“In this animation, the Wessel, a small creature who loves shiny objects and getting into mischief, breaks into a magic workshop and wreaks havoc. The Magnificent Pixie Titans use their magic to outfox the Wessel and restore order. My greatest joy is to create inhabitants of worlds, not just creatures that look cool but ones that have purpose. I love weird and kooky creatures, from mythology, fantasy, sci-fi, or just reality. Encouraged by my sci-fi loving mother, I grew up reading global folklore and myths. Every creature in those tales had a narrative purpose and a natural place in the worlds they inhabited—just like the Wessel and the Pixie Titans.”
Jennifer Perez, Stardust Playground
“Stardust Playground is a fantastical, loose reimagining of a childhood memory of a family trip to a swimming pool. In this animation, the pool is outer space while the characters are animals. I am played by a penguin. I chose the other three animals—the acrobatic ferret, a high energy dog, and a cat who is cool and calm—for their exquisite movements and behavioral traits. These free-spirited animal characters joyfully play in zero gravity among the stars.”
Feature image of “Man with the Suitcase” by Valeria Hunt courtesy George Mason University
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