The art at Tysons’ Metro stations has both beauty and function

Public art not only adds beauty to a place, it can also help people orient themselves and find their way around. Tysons is no exception. As the city works on its 2050 goal to transform from “edge city” to urban center, art is key to building culture there, and to creating an environment that invites people to stay awhile.

The Metro stations in Tysons all contain art that lets you know where you are. Fairfax County Supervisor Sharon Bulova talked about it when we spoke months ago: “Each of the stations includes public art, and it was designed that way. It’s pleasant aesthetically, but it’s also a way-finding feature. So when you arrive at Spring Hill there’s art that lets you know yep, ‘I’m in Spring Hill.’”

I follouwed up with Bulova for this story to ask her about the significance of Metro art in Tysons.

“When we approved the vision for Tysons, we knew we would need to collaborate with land owners and developers in order to build an exciting, vibrant city. Public art and performance venues will make Tysons an exciting home,” Bulova responded in an email. “When the Board of Supervisors adopted the Vision and Plan for Tysons, we were very clear with the development community that the arts needed to be incorporated into the fabric of this new community.”

“They were happy to accommodate. We have the beginnings of a strong arts culture in Tysons, ranging from the murals on the Metro Station walls to the performances in 1st Stage Theater. Weaving the arts into daily life is both essential and achievable. It is part of what makes Fairfax County a great place to live, work, and play.”

Let’s take a look at four public art pieces at Metro stations in Tysons.

1. Voyagers, 2015

Location: McLean station
Artist: Martin Donlin

This work is made from 26 16x18-foot glass panels that are hand and airbrush painted with ceramic enamels, according to Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).

“Voyagers” represents both the physical and cognitive idea of travel and transportation, the WMATA site says. Large human figure forms that depict a community in transition were overlaid with poetry from past and present poet laureates from Virginia.

2. Solar Sails, 2015

Location: Tysons Corner Metro station
Artist: Ray King

The work is made of glass panes with steel cables providing tension. According to the site, King makes: “dynamic interactions with the sun and refracting light into colors – rainbow-like emanations that shift and change as the viewer moves or as the light source changes – King creates an environment that appeals to viewers’ sense of wonderment and delight.”

3. Technology Triangle Colonnade, 2016

Location: Greensboro Metro station
Artist: David Dahlquist

These eight columns are “a major part of the Silver Line transportation corridor. The symbolic triangle, representative of the connection of government, industry, and consumer becomes a dramatic iconic marker,” according to the WMATA site. Poetry by Virginia poet laureates are also placed across the artwork.

4. Eccentricity, 2016

Location: Spring Hill Station
Artist: Barbara Grygutis

This 40-foot high sculpture and plaza by Gryguits “includes an offset concentric ring design in two shades of concrete with poetry by previous Poet Laureate of Virginia, Lee Pelham Cotton, in aluminum within the concrete. In the evening, the pillar is illuminated to create a peacemaking feature around the clock,” according to WMATA.

Readers: Is there any other local Metro art that you find interesting?