Mystery Train embraces London, its transport and popular culture, encouraging people with learning difficulties to visit and celebrate contemporary art galleries. Initiated by the ICA, the project brings together artist Jessica Voorsanger, Westminster charity Pursuing Independent Paths (PIP) and Art on the Underground.
Over six months, Jessica Voorsanger and students from PIP have worked together to demystify transport through a series of trips and games, using costumes and karaoke. They have visited galleries and museums in the city and have toured behind the scenes with the staff at Charing Cross Underground station.
As part of the project, Jessica and the students have now developed a series of posters with London Underground staff at Charing Cross. Based on the popular game “Heads, Bodies and Legs”, the posters present different sections of each participant’s photographic portrait that are mixed up together to make a new set of composite figures, each dressed in the London Underground uniform. Further interchangeable portraits have been created, which integrate the ICA staff into the images.
Working alongside PIP’s travel training programme, Mystery Train aims to encourage adults with learning disabilities to travel independently and use public transport to access galleries and museums.
An accompanying publication is available at the ICA Bookshop.
For more information from the ICA visit: ica.org.uk/mysterytrain
Mystery Train is an ICA project in collaboration with Art on the Underground, supported by John Lyon’s Charity and City of Westminster
