When multidisciplinary visual artist Tim Doud won the commission for the inaugural Art at Amtrak installation at Washington Union Station, he didn鈥檛 have to go far for inspiration.
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As Doud, director of 海角换妻鈥檚 MFA studio art program, strolled around DC鈥檚 stately transit hub on a bustling Saturday afternoon, a clothier on the concourse selling Ankara fabrics鈥攙ibrant African prints鈥攃aught his eye. When he spotted travelers wearing the same bold print at the nearby departure gates, Doud began to piece together the idea for a patchwork-inspired installation celebrating Washingtonians and their threads.听
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鈥淐lothing always catches my attention. It can be read as a personal signature as well as a cultural statement,鈥 Doud says. 鈥淲hether people are wearing logo T-shirts or business suits, their clothing reflects some aspect of their identities.鈥
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A Great Public Walk, which spans the wall along the waiting area between gates and A and L, opened on September 13 and runs through winter 2024 at Amtrak鈥檚 second-busiest station. The installation is part of the railroad鈥檚 new public art program, which kicked off in June 2022 on the other end of the busy Northeast Regional route, at the gleaming Moynihan Train Hall in Manhattan.听
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Using as a template part of French engineer Pierre L鈥橢nfant鈥檚 original plan for another of the city鈥檚 great public walks鈥攖he National Mall鈥擠oud created a collage of textiles and fabrics that evokes both the physical space and the people who inhabit it. 鈥淚t represents the center of government, a place that attracts people from all over the country and the world, and that, in L鈥橢nfant鈥檚 words, is 鈥榦pen to all,鈥欌 he says.
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Doud drew from a closet full of fabrics: denim, florals, gingham, houndstooth. The Korean, Mexican, Ethiopian, and Nigerian textiles reflect DC鈥檚 international flavor, while the hint of camouflage is a nod to the city鈥檚 Pentagon-sized military presence. Travelers who look closely will spot snippets of the Washington Nationals and Capitals鈥 logos, along with the mark of the man who鈥檚 faster than a speeding bullet (train).听
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鈥淓very time I鈥檝e come to Union Station, I鈥檝e seen a guy wearing a Superman shirt,鈥 Doud says with a smile.听
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鈥淚 designed the installation to be something that invites curiosity and welcomes interactions,鈥 he continues. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a puzzle in which viewers participate.鈥澨