Public art associated with highways and the metro

Caracas, Venezuela in the period 1950-2010

Abstract

The Caracas Road system, especially its large highways, have an important presence in the city landscape. The highways, together with the city's four metro lines, make up the city's mobility system. In the second half of the last century, cultural and urban policies were promoted that formalized the artistic intervention in the areas of influence of the Metro, especially near the station entrances and inside the platforms. Similar actions were also carried out as part of an urban improvement program for transportation infrastructure, especially in areas related to the city's large highways. The urban operations involved the incorporation of large pieces of contemporary art in the residual spaces, so that they were visible from the car's view. Both policies made art part of the everyday urban landscape.