Art installation reimagining the everyday experience of commuting
"IN∙NER TRANSIT"
ART INSTALLATION by NATALIA IRINA ROMAN
On view: April 12 – June 20, 2024
Opening: April 12, 2024 @ 6 - 9 PM
Art Talk with Natalia Irina Roman, April 12, 2024 @ 6:30 -7:30 PM
Romanian Cultural Institute (LOBBY)
200 East 38th Street, New York City, NY 10016
Gallery Hours: 9 AM - 5 PM, Monday - Friday
About The Event
Our visual arts program is in full swing with another highlight of female creativity. On a quest to reimagine the everyday experience of commuting, Berlin-based Romanian artist and curator Natalia Irina Roman will present the installation "in∙ner transit" a poetic invitation to assess the power of art to repurpose aging infrastructure in major cities. The project, based on extensive research into the transportation systems of New York, Berlin and Bucharest, explores the intricacies of urban mobility through a compelling mix of media, offering a fresh perspective on the rhythms, emotions and narratives embedded in the act of commuting.
The installation will be on view in the lobby and window of the Romanian Cultural Institute in New York from April 12 through June 20, 2024. This choice of venue is intentional, as "in∙ner transit" not only addresses the theme of public transportation, but also responds to the transitory nature of the space, reflecting the constant movement of commuters.
Incorporating elements of video, textual intervention, and participatory engagement, the installation is designed to engage visitors to the Institute as well as passersby. Visitors are encouraged to contribute their reflections and associations of transportation to enrich a collective textual artwork installed in the lobby.
The opening event, which will take place on April 12 from 6 to 8 pm, will be complemented by an artist's talk designed to contextualize "in∙ner transit" within the larger field of Roman practice, thereby fostering a nuanced appreciation of the intersection of art and public transportation.
Join us on an exploratory journey through the inner realms of urban transit, as "in∙ner transit" invites us to pause, reflect, and rediscover the beauty hidden in the routines of our daily journeys.
Discover the installation
Created by Berlin-based Romanian artist and curator Natalia Irina Roman, the mixed media installation reimagines the everyday experience of commuting, responding to the space of the Romanian Cultural Institute's lobby and its transitory nature, designed to serve both the Institute's visitors and passersby.
Exploring the intricacies of urban mobility through a compelling mix of media, the installation offers a fresh perspective on the rhythms, emotions, and narratives embedded in the act of commuting, and functions as a poetic invitation for viewers to explore and question the pervasive influence of public transportation infrastructure in urban centers such as New York, Berlin, and Bucharest.
In contrast to the predominantly functional mindset that characterizes our approach to everyday travel, "in∙nner transit" invites us to draw inspiration from this commonplace activity. The accompanying video synthesizes images of commuter trains into an evocative continuum - an allegorical "train of thought" in which the inner self is always in transit.
Complementing this is a poetic text overlay that blends into the windows, its ethereal presence illuminated by light reflections and movement, drawing the attention of passersby.
Central to the installation's interactive dimension is audience participation. Visitors are encouraged to contribute their personal reflections and associations of rail travel, enriching a collective textual artwork installed in the lobby space.
About the artist
Natalia Irina Roman (b. Bucharest) is an artist, curator, and researcher, with a background in fine arts and public policy. Her portfolio includes solo and group exhibitions in Germany and internationally, and her practice focuses on installation, video, photography, text, and (immersive) participatory art. Since 2017, Natalia has been pioneering an art collaboration with the German railway company Deutsche Bahn, leading the initiative "Along the Lines". This visionary project repurposes disused interlocking towers into art spaces for train passengers, an initiative started with funding from the prestigious Berlin Capital’s Cultural Fund. Her contributions extend beyond exhibitions to public discussions and educational commitments, including teaching engagements at the Bauhaus University Weimar and Berlin University of the Arts. Currently, Natalia is a visiting researcher, artist, and Fulbright Fellow at Columbia University. www.nataliairinaroman.eu
MORE ABOUT NATALIA IRINA ROMAN`S PROJECTS
Along the Lines in 90”
90 seconds pitch about the art initiative and city research Along the Lines. This pitch was presented by Natalia Irina Roman at the Bauhaus University Weimar. The poster seen in the image was exhibited as a large format in front of the venue, and it was shown just for the picture of the interlocking tower, which was referenced in the pitch. The drawings on the poster are by Stefan Lesueur.
Art and Train (en/de)
An art class designed and taught at the Bauhaus University Weimar by Natalia Irina Roman, in cooperation with Deutsche Bahn. Students travel by train and transform their journeys into art, for a public exhibition. They learn about the aesthetic of train travel, about the potential of railway infrastructure, while meeting creators working in the railway context.
Stellwerk im Fluss // Interlocking tower in the flow
In situ installation for a former interlocking tower of Deutsche Bahn, the German Railway, on the line of S-Bahn 3, seen from a train passing by. This mixed media installation was part of the first exhibition Along the Lines, in cooperation with, among others, Hauptstadtkulturfonds, Deutsche Bahn, S-Bahn Museum, Historische Bahnen e.V. Along the Lines is an independent initiative from Berlin, created by the artist, curator and city researcher Natalia Irina Roman. The initiative transforms former signal towers into art spaces seen from trains passing by through public exhibitions, art interventions, public discussions and university classes.