I had a some what unexpected date, and she kindly came along with me to brave the SL Stockholm Train Station art tour (in English).
I did learn a couple of things, I also learned that my impressions of the stations were pretty spot on. The tour is an hour, so we only looked at four stations, T-centralen at the juncture of the blue line, Rådhuset (which I just put up, and will now add too), Stadion and Kungsträdgården.
The tour went too quickly for much in-depth discussion. Artists can now submit their ideas for the new line that is opening- a light blue line and I hope I get to see that before we stop living here part-time.
Kungsträdgården is an end station to both the blue lines- they call the station a 'grotto' station, because the builders found they could spray the rock with rendering concrete, lightly keeping the true shape of the blasted rock, these stations are deep underground, I think the guide said 30-40 metres underground. This rendering also allowed the rocks natural water deposits to flow out via hidden drain pipes, and this is lovely. This method is touted as 'natural art' and I agree.
It is obvious this station was designed as a whole project, although the different spaces are decorated differently- these are the platform areas to catch the train.
These sculptures placed around the natural rock is under a walkway to exit the station hall.
There were old maple trees that had to be torn down to make way for the station, and people chained themselves to the trees but to no avail. This trunk of a petrified maple is a testimony to that struggle, and next to it the lovely coloring the constant dripping water makes.
No comments:
Post a Comment