Art in Transit.

Aiden Fung - 04.06.2026

Often, when we utilize transit, stations are just a means for us to board trains in order to arrive at our intended destinations. A station may be a place on the way to our destinations, but are often never the end of our journey. Because of this, stations exist as a place between places, lacking identity, character, and placemaking.

However, the TTC's art installation program serves to attempt to counteract the liminality in transit, helping us identify and feel characterized in spaces which are typically characterless.

Under the brand new Line 5, the TTC has contracted dozens of artists to participate in the commission's public art program, creating place amongst idle space. Yet, Line 5 still struggles in its ability stand apart as a unique transit line, thanks to its monochromatic tones, bland white tiling, and lack of unique station design, where the art can almost blend into the station's liminal tendency.

Light From Within - Rodney LaTourelle and Louise Witthöft

Eglinton Station

Super Signals - Douglas Coupland

Cedarville Station

Arriving at Cedarville station, there is a sharp contrast between the new, Line 5 portion, and its older predecessor at Line 1. Although the Line 5 installation adds color, and helps break the monotony of the white walls, its abstract style blends into the original form it was trying to circumvent. However, Line 1's installation showcases a distinct theme that is related to transit, while utilizing color and identifiable shapes in order to fill and contribute to the space.

Summertime Streetcar - Gerald Zeldin

Cedarville Station

Ride of Your Life - Janice Kerbel

Caledonia Station

Partially covered by support beams, this mosaic uses words typically associated with fairground posters, in order to invoke a sense of wonder when it comes to transit. However, the colors and lack of bright lighting make it very easy to miss.

Up to This Moment - Hadley + Maxwell

Mt Dennis Station

This piece, titled Up to This Moment by Hadley + Maxwell is a poem surrounding a video loop on a large display in the center. The display is meant to feature a looping video that showcases the neighborhood's historical past by utilizing civic archives. When this photo was taken, the screen had malfunctioned, failing to display its intended media.

The photo on the right showcases the bland decor of one of the stations on Line 5, where for almost 4 levels of escalators, there are 0 shapes or decor to break up the monotonous white walls.

Tile Wall

Zones of Immersion - Stuart Reid

Union Station

Union station is one of the most traversed stations in Toronto. The installation here, is situated in the center, past the train and platform.

Ultimately, the presence of art within the TTC is a testament to the struggle in turning transit into place. While Line 5’s installations attempt to counter the monochromatic silence of its stations, they often fall into becoming the very liminality they seek to solve. Looking at Cedarville, even a well-intentioned digital archive can be have its meaning temporarily destroyed by a technical glitch, leaving behind its placemaking, and becoming just another decoration on a wall during a person's commute. For transit art to truly succeed, it must do more than just hang on a wall; it must challenge the station's tendency to be a place of nowhere, transforming a moment of waiting into a moment of genuine presence.

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