Digital work by eight Sage College of Albany student-artists is featured in a pilot public art project that is turning bus shelters along Central Avenue into pop-up art galleries.
ArtTV is sponsored by Capital District Transportation Authority and the Central Avenue Business Improvement District. Five 42-inch screens will be installed at CDTA’s busiest bus stations along the avenue to display all types of artworks including paintings, photographs, films, performances, interviews and more arts programming for a cross-section of city residents.
“It stems from a federal public art grant, but as opposed to murals and static installations typical in public art grants, CBID and CDTA partnered to deliver constantly changing artworks to the public through digital technology,” said Sean Hovendick, assistant professor and program director of Graphic + Media Design. Hovendick worked with CBID Executive Director Anthony Capece to learn the digital signage system and taught Time Arts and Digital Production classes as service learning courses in which students created works specifically for the public. “Think mini-TV station,” he said. “Content can be similar along the route, or individual for each bus station. Programming is broadcast during commuter hours for now, but it could be 24/7. We’re all very excited to be participating in this innovative project.”
Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan and ArtTV featured artists including Art + Design students Dakotah Toma SCA ’17 and Jon Josephsen SCA ’15 attended a kickoff event in October. In addition to Toma and Josephsen, David Saunders SCA ’17, Katielynn Canavan SCA ’17, Thaddeus Sipe SCA ’16, Greg Ryan SCA ’15, Kelly Raver SCA ’14 and Krystal Hinckley SCA ’15 also had work accepted for ArtTV.
“This is a tremendous learning opportunity for our students as well as a great way for us to give back to the community through the beautification of public art,” said Hovendick. ”In the future, all types of work from Sage’s Art + Design Department will be included.”
The first bus station to receive the ArtTV technology is on the corner of Central Avenue and Quail Street.