Sashawhyy

On the corner of Platform 2 Peenya Metro Station a 5ft tall structure looks out past NH 75 to the shops and the trees. On closer examination the structure resembles a telescope that is made out of scrap. Clunky, old, industrial-looking parts sandwich a rust-covered, see-through center. The smaller side of the sculpture has a convex lens to look through.

Peenya is an area populated by factories, junkyards and other industrial buildings. Dry dust-storms regularly dose cars and buildings in a fine layer of sand. With the steady hum of cars and trains throughout the day, it’s easy to miss the large amounts of greenery just beyond this busy transit corridor. The Filtered View aims to give its users a glimpse of a greener world around them. By being uniquely located about 50 feet (15m) above ground it offers the daily commuter a fresh perspective of a district otherwise only known for its scrapyards and factories.

The sculpture is built using air filters from different sized cars and busses scoured from surrounding junk yards. A yellow camera lens, a blue camera lens and two magnifying lenses are nestled between the three air filters. The telescope has the ability to partially zoom and focus using a sliding metal tube that changes the focal length between the two lenses.

A yellow lens accentuates the landscape and people. A blue lens captures the vividly coloured sky. Light passing through the lenses tints the image an emerald green color.

This project was developed in collaboration with Art In Transit and Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC) for the September 2015 relaunch of the Peenya Metro Station. The sculpture is a permanent addition to the station’s collection of art. Installed with the intention of activating public spaces of transit, the artworks serve to soothe and inspire. Their quirky locations, themes and materials also sensitize travelers to the architecture of the station.