Art/Architecture in Subway Stations: Are they worth it?

[Whoaccio]

Are people here literate? Nobody is suggesting anybody "should give their work for free" or be forced to pay for work on TTC property. Let's just be very clear about that because there is no point in arguing about anything if we are talking about two different things.

Moving on, you guys do know that the TTC's mandate isn't "to put bread and butter on [artists'] tables" right? I am a bit confused as to what you are arguing. If it is that no one in Toronto would be willing to paint a mural for the TTC or submit or submit a design idea that is one thing. I would still disagree, as there are people who are willing to break the law to create public art, some of which is in my view comparable or better than many TTC related works. Luckily enough this is pretty easy to test, all the TTC would have to do is issue a brief public RFP (i.e. 2m:1m mural for xyz station mezzanine with gray tile wall) and see if anybody bites. There is no downside. If no one wants to bother submitting an idea the only loss will be the hour it would take to draft an RFP.

If it is that we shouldn't hire public or volunteer artists (assuming they in fact exist) because they will take away work from "real" artists (see "bread on table") then I find that absolutely bizarre and incoherent. As nowhere in the TTC's mandate is the job of supporting artists, it is best left to the various relevant government and philanthropic groups.

 

[Chuck]

It's not a question of art or no art, it's a question of scale. Subway stations can and should be attractive, but at the same time should not be overbuilt. The bare minimum requirement for a subway station is an opening in the sidewalk, a staircase connecting street level to platform level, and the platform itself. I'd like the TTC to strip away the underground walkways, mezzanines, and elaborate station buildings, and instead create an attractive platform area for people to enjoy while waiting for their train.

The flower at Dupont, the mural at Eglinton West, and the perspective art at Bayview are perfect examples of turning space that needed to be there anyway into something a little bit more interesting. That's the type of art that needs to be encouraged. The excessiveness that is Downsview needs to be discouraged at all costs because that's what drives the TTC's construction costs to $250 million per km.

 

[officedweller]

YVR Station sculpture - posted by Deasine over at SSP:

Another view of the sculpture:

Photography by Deasine - Hosted on Picasa Web Albums - Creative Commons Protected

 

[EnviroTO]

Many of the differences between the subway designs of the 60s and current subway stations are related to safety. Dealing with flash fires, crowd safety, evacuation, accessibility, etc has changed the minimums to which stations are built. The thin stairways, thin platforms, poor ventilation, lack of accessibility, single exit stations of the past can no longer be built. Stations like Bessarion or Bayview are about the minimum that can be built today.

 

[JordanRHughes]

Question is: How many lives is it worth?

Subway pushing trial ends in acquittal


TORONTO—A 49-year-old man has been acquitted of all charges by reason of mental disorder in a high-profile case where two teenagers were pushed on to a Toronto subway track last year and narrowly escaped serious injury.

Adenir De Oliveira was found not criminally responsible for his actions, in a verdict issued Monday morning. The ruling by Ontario Superior Court Justice Nancy Backhouse means that Mr. De Oliveira will be kept in a secure psychiatric facility and it will be up to the Ontario Review Board to decide when he is released.

“I find that at the time he committed these acts, the accused’s mind was devoid of any thoughts other than pushing the victims or killing himself,†said Judge Backhouse. “His thought processes were impacted at the time to such an extent that he was unable to weigh the pros and cons of his actions and was incapable of appreciating that what he was doing was morally wrong,†the judge added.

Mr. De Oliveira, who has been in jail since his arrest following the February 2009 incident, looked ahead blankly from the prisoner’s box in the courtroom, after the judge issued her ruling.

“It was a humane and just verdict,†said defence lawyer Ian Kostman. “He will receive the treatment he needs and the public will be protected. His liberty will be restricted to the extent he presents a danger,†said Mr. Kostman about his client.

Mr. De Oliveira was facing three charges of attempted murder and three counts of assault. He admitted that he shoved two 14-year-old boys on to the tracks of a west end Toronto subway station during the afternoon rush hour.

He also tried unsuccessfully to push a third teenager. The boys, all friends, were returning home after an outing together.

It was only a result of the quick actions of one teenager, who pulled his friend back under the ledge of the subway platform, that they were not seriously hurt or killed. One of the teenagers suffered injuries to his left foot from the subway train and later had two toes amputated.

Two forensic psychiatrists testified at the trial on behalf of the Crown and defence. “They agree that the accused is a very ill person. They disagree on whether his illness meets the standard set out in the Criminal Code [to be found not criminally responsible],†noted Judge Backhouse.

The judge accepted the evidence of Dr. Julian Gojer, who testified on behalf of the defence, that Mr. De Oliveira suffered from a major depressive disorder. He was not taking his anti-depressant medication at the time of the incident and heard voices compelling him to kill himself or kill others, testified Dr. Gojer.

During the trial, the court heard numerous personal details about Mr. De Oliveira, who grew up on a farm and came to Canada more than 20 years ago. He was the 10th of 12 children and admitted to engaging in sexual acts with siblings and animals as a teenager. There is also a history of mental illness in his family.


Read more: http://news.nationalpost.com/2010/10/25/subway-pushing-trial-ends-in-acquittal/#ixzz13Okpll6d

This guy must have had some really effective lawyers- Kostman and Pyzer

 

[Electrify]

1. What does this have to do with subway art (and bumping up a thread that's been dead for a year)?
2. Being found not guilty due to insanity is not the same as a full acquittal. Instead of going to jail, he will be going to a mental institution until he is deemed safe to society. Reading about this guy's background, he tried to get help but the system failed him. Let's just hope now he gets the help he needs, and be thankful that no one was killed. Let's also hope that this case can bring light to a troubled mental health system so that people who need help receive it.