Vieques

Concept: We wanted to take advantage of a public and high traffic space to highlight the protests against the U.S Navy bomb tests on the island of Vieques in Puerto Rico. Displaying the message in both English and Spanish was critical to the installation. Originally, we discussed liberating a billboard in Jamaica Plain but due to the existing content on the billboards, we decided to consider an alternative space. The information design of the Boston subway displays provided us that opportunity. Particularly, on each inbound and outbound display, stations are listed after the current station, leaving all stations before (outbound) and after (inbound) only marked by a placeholder. It was in these unmarked placeholders that we would place our message.

Process: Advance online research concerning the U.S. Navy bombing controversy in Vieques became the first step followed by determining the typeface and point size (Helvetica 100 pt.) of the information displays. The Massachusetts Avenue T-station on the orange line proved to be the best site for this installation on account of several factors: minimal security, a significant Spanish-speaking commuter demographic, a high-frequency train schedule at rush hour, (which allowed us the opportunity not to attract too much attention at any one time), and a location that provided us enough line space to lay the type on both inbound and outbound sides of the information display.

Execution: We prepared the messages in advance of traveling to the site in order to apply the messages as quickly as possible. We first applied a strip of black electrical tape to serve as a baseline guide for the type. We applied type in spurts of one to two minutes. While one applied type, the other would document and keep a lookout. When we felt that the number of commuters in the area came to a critical mass of being unable to monitor those we suspected might alert security, we would wait for the next trains to arrive, effectively clearing out the station for a minute or so. At one time mid-way through the installation, we felt we were being monitored by a man cleaning the station and we decided to leave and return in 15-30 minutes. Upon returning, we were able to complete the installation.

DETAILS

2001

Vieques: A Guerilla Street Installation
R. Streitmatter-Tran & Ben Sisto
Boston, Massachusetts
July 9, 2001


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