Let art flourish in rail stations

Following the example of various cities, Hawaii in 1967 became the first state to establish what has become known, multiplied and revered across the country as an Art in Public Places Program. Honolulu as a city has no specific program but the rail project is set to buy works of art for 21 train stations, a worthwhile decision that should enhance travel by the island’s commuters and visitors.

Hawaii state law now provides for works of art to be purchased for 1 percent of all construction costs of any state facility, selected by the state Foundation on Culture and the Arts. The result has been statues, paintings and fine-art prints that adorn grounds and buildings. The artworks to be selected for rail stations could range from free-standing sculpture and wall pieces to functional elements like lighting, seating or railings, according to federal guidelines.

The city has no such program, but the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation has smartly budgeted for fiscal year 2014 to include $1.975 million for the local Art in Transit program to cover the cost of contracts with about 10 artists. The city already has set aside $694,000 for artworks in the Farrington Station group, which includes the West Loch, Leeward Community College and Waipahu Transit Center stations, the first to be completed.

Giving resident rail commuters — many of whom are expected to be daily or regular riders — a positive or uplifting experience should not be casually dismissed on purely fiscal arguments. Art has the real ability to transform a drab, humdrum environment into one that is dimensional and inspiring.

In total, the city plans to pay about $5 million in federal and general excise tax revenue for the artworks, amounting to 1 percent of the estimated cost of the stations and less than one-tenth of 1 percent of the entire rail project.

The Federal Transit Administration encourages such programs, saying that "the visual quality of the nation’s mass transit systems has a profound impact on transit patrons and the community at large" and "should be positive symbols for cities, attracting local riders, tourists and the attention of decision makers for national and international events."

The Transit Art Program is headed by Lisa Yoshihara, director of the University of Hawaii Art Gallery and UH assistant professor of art. She advised HART that the program is "currently developing a plan to engage the community and artists in this exciting opportunity to integrate art into our stations."

Public art has become a significant aspect of the world’s airports and has been encouraged federally because it can contribute to a neighborhood’s pride near rail stations. Indeed, Yoshihara foresees a "sense of place" recognizing "Hawaii’s multicultural landscape and reflects the community, or ahupuaa in which the station resides." The absence of such atmosphere in the stations would be a boring mistake.