Project Description

Patrick Mohr’s Angel Train is a metaphor for the spiritual journey we all take during the course of our lives, merging the architectural past of downtown Long Beach and the journey of the commuter with the invisible poetic world of fantasy. Mohr’s design includes an idealized train and an imaginary conversation between two children of different cultural backgrounds. The children are engaged in a dialogue about a journey they are about to take, and metaphorically, about the stages of life we pass through as we make our way in the world. Underlying the dialogue is the assumption that we begin our journey through life with the loving protection of our guardian angels; we realize when we arrive at our appointed destination that we savor the rewards of personal victory over the bumpy path of life.

Patrick Mohr, “Angel Train”

Artist Statement

“To be selected as an artist to do an MTA project is an exciting opportunity, especially because I feel that public art holds a special place for all communities and the art world. I feel that programs like the MTA’s Metro Art are necessary if we are to create a human environment with special places for people to gather and share their thoughts and experiences.”

About the Artist

PATRICK MOHR is a life-long Angeleno who spent his childhood and formative years in Long Beach, CA. He attended the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland where he received his Bachelor of Fine Arts, and later obtained a Master of Fine Arts from the Maryland Institute College of Art, Rinehart Graduate School of Sculpture in Baltimore. Mohr’s artwork has been shown in numerous installations and exhibitions. He lives and works in the city of Long Beach.