The Wabash Lights

Having worked in Chicago’s Loop for over a decade I spent heaps of time commuting, walking, eating, and drinking along the Wabash Ave corridor. With iconic steel tracks that tower over pedestrians and motorists alike, this historic corridor seemingly begged for an intervention to infuse it with a meaningful sense of place. That call was answered with the creation of The Wabash Lights

The Wabash Lights was born from a simple question: Could an iconic piece of public art be created, funded, and designed by the public? My co-founder Jack Newell and I observed that public art is supposed to be for everyone, but is usually conceived in a vacuum by a small number of stakeholders. Our response: transform an iconic piece of Chicago infrastructure (the ‘L’) into an interactive canvas for anyone to engage with and for everyone to see. 

Our team has designed and proposed a series of programmable and interactive light installations, originating around Chicago’s iconic ‘L’ tracks in the Loop with satellite installations in traditionally underserved neighborhoods on the south and west sides of the city.

Public art serves communities by amplifying cultural identity and understanding—and by improving the sense of attachment and belonging to a place. The Wabash Lights, specifically, brings worldwide attention to Chicago, a city already recognized globally for its public art like the Picasso at Daley Plaza and Cloud Gate (a.k.a The Bean) in Millennium Park. Because of the interactive nature of The Wabash Lights, artists from down the block or around the world can interact with the lights on each unique canvas, which makes this project one of the most distinctive and malleable public works on the planet.

The Wabash Lights presents an opportunity to take a revolutionary stepforward; for individuals to interact with, create, and feel an authentic sense of ownership of art in the public realm. The project honors connection, empowers all, and addresses societal needs, including: attachment and cultural identity, recognizing the importance of art in daily life, social cohesion, and cultural understanding.