Last Stop
Last Stop is a portrait of two Filipino Americans, members of a community with a long history in the area.
All Metro Art Rider Portrait Series
Kid
Kid, an image of a young girl born and raised in North Long Beach, is one of many paintings and drawings produced over a three-year span.
Keep Going
Keep Going depicts poet and urban planner, who, as a local Afro-Latina, represents the cultural intersection of many South LA communities.
Jose Carrillo, El Taquero
Jose Carrillo, El Taquero portrays the artist’s father, a taco vendor, in the uniform he wears during his daily Metro commute.
Frida Cano (E Line)
Frida Cano (E Line) is inspired by a local artist, writer and curator who brings the social issues of our times to light.
Ebony
Honoring the selfless community service of the many individuals in our periphery, Ebony depicts daily Metro-rider Ebony Wilson, who is LAUSD’s hearing secretary and the admission director of a scholarship program for urban youth.
Devon
Devon represents a Crenshaw District resident whose grandparents resettled in the area after their internment during WWII.
Blue Sights
Blue Sights is a portrait of LP’s fiancé riding the light rail between Long Beach and Los Angeles, while looking into the vast LA basin during a sunrise.
Better Together
Better Together celebrates public transit’s capacity to create greener citizens, connections and new experiences.
Beautiful Santa Monica
Beautiful Santa Monica portrays the artist’s children—who not only ride the Metro to school from Santa Monica but also to cultural events and museums in downtown Los Angeles—surrounded by the natural bounty that their beloved city has to offer.
Auntie Shelley
Auntie Shelley fondly recognizes a longtime resident of the Crenshaw Corridor.
A Walk and Talk
A Walk and Talk celebrates Metro for providing access to LA’s vibrant creative community and increasing public mobility through bike integration.
A Kaleidoscope of Butterflies Followed Me to the Station
A Kaleidoscope of Butterflies Followed Me to the Station is an allegory for Metro riders, liberated from city traffic and connected to one another as they migrate the city.
A Gift to the World
A Gift to the World is a self-portrait celebrating the intersection of Inglewood’s Latinx and Black communities.
A Brothers’ Keeper
A Brothers’ Keeper honors the sacrifice of essential workers during the coronavirus pandemic.
More People Than You Know
The inaugural digital series presented by Metro Art, this rotating exhibition features portraits of transit riders created by artists connected to the neighborhoods served by Metro A Line (Blue).
Art on TAP
Limited edition TAP cards are Metro’s smallest artworks that fit inside pockets and accompany transit riders on their journeys.
We Are… Portraits of Metro Riders by Local Artists
The We Are… rider portrait exhibition celebrates diversity and the community of transit riders across multiple formats and sites including buses, trains and stations in Los Angeles County and online. Tag your selfie #SomosWeAreLA to join in Metro’s portrait exhibition and share your journey, too!
A Quiet Interval
Project Description A Quiet Interval is a self-portrait of the artist, capturing one of the introspective moments commonly experienced during her daily commute to and from art school in Pasadena. Set near dusk, the tranquil blue and purple palette saturates a moment of peaceful decompression, while a balloon—symbolizing the unique aspirations of commuters—floats in place of the setting sun. About the Artist TIFFANY LIN is an illustrator and graphic designer who grew up in Los Angeles and earned a BFA from ArtCenter College of Design. She centers her work on emotion, character, and visual storytelling that unfolds through subtle body language, atmospheric detail, and symbolic objects to evoke quiet tension and narrative depth.
We Are – Metro Riders
Project Description We Are – Metro Riders reflects the awesome cultural diversity one while traveling across the county using Metro. Drawing inspiration from his transit neighbors during daily commutes and sketching in a matter of minutes, the artist regularly captures individuals as they read, reflect and rest on their journeys, creating rider portraits that collective Los Angeles. About the Artist ALFRED MERCADO is a lifelong resident of Los Angeles, professional illustrator and graphic designer who earned a BFA from ArtCenter College of Design. His art blends traditional drawing and painting techniques along with digital media, with content that draws heavily on the inspiration he finds while experiencing people and cultures from all over the world in his native city.
Metro Taking Us Home
Project Description Metro Taking Us Homedepicts the artist as a young girl alongside her two sisters and their father, Roman, a former Metro bus driver. The Vazquez family portrait celebrates how exploring cultural destinations by bus was central to the family’s shared joy, illustrating the journeys they took across the city that connected them to the people, music and art found throughout Los Angeles. About the Artist LAURA VAZQUEZ RODRIQUEZ is a Los Angeles-born and based artist whose fine art and illustrations have been exhibited throughout the region. Her love for her culture and deep faith are reflected in her paintings and illustrations. Rodriguez celebrates women, their achievements and contributions to society. Her art honors motherhood, promotes humanity, spirituality, love and healing — elements she feels are essential to life.
Quita and Victor, Northwest Pasadena
Project Description Quita and Victor, Northwest Pasadena celebrates the deep affection and respect between these two siblings and longtime Northwest Pasadena residents. Depicted in front of the beloved former Cinema 21, the portrait honors their commitment to social and racial justice and recognizes the complicated cultural history embedded in Northwest Pasadena’s development that they experienced while growing up there. About the Artist DEBORAH ASCHHEIM makes installations, sculptures, and drawings about memory and place for buildings, parks, hospitals, transportation, and social media platforms. She has explored themes of collective memory, oral history, and social justice in vernacular history projects that blend participant interviews with drawing to bring the stories of diverse communities to life. Deborah earned a BA from Brown University and an MFA from the University of Washington.
Our Future
Project Description Our Future is an homage to the artist’s students who consistently inspire her with their talent, tenacity, dedication and commitment to growth. This portrait of Charity—depicted drawing on her tablet while commuting to class, joyfully surrounded by tools and art supplies—celebrates all young artists who are motivated to enrich their communities through their education and creative vision. About the Artist HOLLY BORUCK is an award-winning artist whose work has been exhibited locally and internationally. Working in drawing, painting, and sculpture, a common thread in her art making practice is a deep interest in the human psyche and earthly experiences. Holly received a BFA from California College of the Arts in San Francisco and an MFA in Painting from Cal State University Northridge. She is an Adjunct Professor at Cal State University Northridge and is a faculty member at Ryman Arts.
Metro Art Bus
Mobile exhibition in L.A. County Wrapped in portraits from the Metro Art Rider Portrait Series and current exhibition We Are…, the Metro Art Bus is brings art to the streets as it connects neighborhoods across Los Angeles County!
Today We Ride
Today We Ride is a portrait of the artist’s partner and longtime friend during a outing on their bikes.