Art Bus - Katie Green

Following the proposed Art Bus theme of “bringing beauty, joy, whimsy and hope,” my design invites audiences to explore complex emotions in a playful and immersive manner. I use fantasy as a visual language that helps me imagine new worlds. How might whimsical and unusual characters ask us to pause and consider our emotional reactions, memories and stories? How might surreal environments get us to relate to and reflect on our own internal and external landscapes? This exploration is not just a journey into the unknown, but a means to question, reflect and understand the familiar in new ways. Fantasy opens up possibilities, presenting alternative realities that are fluid and malleable. Upon boarding this bus, audiences are greeted by curious eyes peeking through lush foliage and beings gently embracing their neighbours. Alike to the passengers, the characters in the artwork are temporarily suspended together inside an imagined world. We don’t know where they are coming from or traveling to, or if they are meeting for the first time. I am curious about the habitual interactions that occur while taking public transit. What visible and invisible relationships are formed with people you see on your commute? What imaginative worlds do riders daydream while they transport from one place to another? As we lean into the realm of fantasy, we are reminded of the wonder available in our everyday commutes.

Following the proposed Art Bus theme of “bringing beauty, joy, whimsy and hope,” my design invites audiences to explore complex emotions in a playful and immersive manner. I use fantasy as a visual language that helps me imagine new worlds. How might whimsical and unusual characters ask us to pause and consider our emotional reactions, memories and stories? How might surreal environments get us to relate to and reflect on our own internal and external landscapes? This exploration is not just a journey into the unknown, but a means to question, reflect and understand the familiar in new ways. Fantasy opens up possibilities, presenting alternative realities that are fluid and malleable. Upon boarding this bus, audiences are greeted by curious eyes peeking through lush foliage and beings gently embracing their neighbours. Alike to the passengers, the characters in the artwork are temporarily suspended together inside an imagined world. We don’t know where they are coming from or traveling to, or if they are meeting for the first time. I am curious about the habitual interactions that occur while taking public transit. What visible and invisible relationships are formed with people you see on your commute? What imaginative worlds do riders daydream while they transport from one place to another? As we lean into the realm of fantasy, we are reminded of the wonder available in our everyday commutes.