Art at CTA Red Line stations in Edgewater, Uptown unveiled as part of reconstruction

Four CTA Red Line stations undergoing major construction will feature new artwork from five award-winning artists, the Chicago Transit Authority announced Monday.

The artwork is meant to reflect the neighborhoods surrounding the reconstructed Lawrence, Argyle, Berwyn and Bryn Mawr stations, according to the CTA.

The artists — selected in a competitive bidding process — are Tom Torluemke, Mayumi Lake, David Lozano, William Conger and Alice Hargrave. The artists are from Chicago except for Torluemke, who is from Indiana.

The construction is part of a major overhaul of the CTA Red Line and Purple Line called the Red and Purple Modernization project. The four stations have been closed since 2021 and are expected to reopen late next year. The stations, which were built in the early 1900s, will be updated to be larger, include digital screens to track trains and be fully accessible to people with disabilities.

The artwork is meant to improve the transit experience and is part of a larger artwork collection at L stations.

Torluemke’s pieces, a glass mosaic called “The Theater of Life” and an art glass installation called “The Ties that Bind,” will be at the Lawrence station. Lozano’s mosaics, both called “Edgewater Mélange,” will be featured at the Berwyn station.

At the Bryn Mawr station, Hargrave’s pieces “Avian Listening,” “Lake Calls,” “Prairie Calls” and “Nocturnal Night Calls” will cover the walls of the Hollywood auxiliary entrance, along with Conger’s glass installation and mosaics, both called “Today,” in the main station house.

Lake’s “Argyle-O-Rama” sheet metal and ceramic piece will be at the main Argyle station house.

William Conger’s mosaic art, titled “Today,” will be part of the revamped Bryn Mawr Red Line station when it reopens next year. | Provided

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Artist David Lozano’s glass installation and mosaics, both called “Edgewater Mélange,” will be featured in the main Berwyn stationhouse when it reopens in 2025. | Provided

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Tom Torluemke’s glass mosaic art will decorate the Lawrence Red Line station as part of major reconstruction updating the North Side stations. | Provided

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A sheet metal and ceramic art piece called “Argyle-O-Rama” by artist Mayumi Lake will be installed in the Argyle Red Line station when it reopens next year. | Provided

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Artist Alice Hargrave’s piece “Prairie Calls” will be installed in the Bryn Mawr Red Line station’s auxiliary entrance. | Provided

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