New Bedford's MBTA rail station features this amazing colorful glass art. Meet the artist.

• New Bedford's MBTA station elevator is decorated with colorful glass tiles created by artist Tracy Silva Barbosa.
• She calls the art piece Equinox, with colors representing the four seasons.
• The piece is part of the elevator that connects the station to the new pedestrian bridge.

NEW BEDFORD — With the South Coast Rail commuter service ready to begin on March 24, one of the most recently completed projects is the unique glass art installation located at the New Bedford station.

The tower is part of the elevator that connects the MBTA's new pedestrian bridge to the Whale's Tooth parking lot.

Tracy Silva Barbosa, the artistic force behind Duende Studio, set out to create a confluence of art, architecture and nature that travelers can be surrounded by when getting on and off the train.

"I've been a mosquito in the city's ear for 15 years," she said.

Barbosa said her involvement spanned design consulting for the space's architectural elements to conceptualizing an artwork that would become an integral part of the station's identity.

"I've always been interested specifically in art in transit. As a user of public transit my whole life, I just felt like it was this ideal place for an element of transcendence that's accessible to everyone,” she said.

She said this ethos of accessibility is mirrored in her work, which is by nature both present and ephemeral, strong yet fragile — a metaphor rendered in glass.

What to know about the station's Equinox installation

The installation, titled "Equinox," uses a ceramic ink printing process onto plate glass, creating enduring, non-fading imagery. Each side of the glass tower installation represents one of the four seasons, brought to life through 120 crafted digital files. 

"We refined the design to have these particular areas that are clear so people can see in and out, but still have the design encompass the whole tower," Barbosa said.

A Massachusetts native and Massachusetts College of Art graduate, she moved from New York to New Bedford in 2010. Barbosa said she has long been fascinated by the idea of public art in transit spaces, a passion that has finally materialized in a project deeply rooted in her personal and artistic journey.

Focused on integrating art with everyday life, Barbosa said the installation is about bringing poetry and beauty to the daily grind of work commuters. 

"It looks the most beautiful early in the morning. And that's intentional, because that's when most people are bleary-eyed and heading to work. And I want to give my fellow humans a moment of beauty, something contemplative,” she said.

Bringing the idea of more public art into local transit

Barbosa said she encourages onlookers to interpret the art in their own way. 

"I like to offer ambiguity in my work that is rooted in landscape. So you can look at it and be like, yes, that's a landscape. But there are other things going on that offer space for your own story,” she added.

She said the endeavor isn't only a milestone for herself but also for the MBTA and New Bedford itself. 

"Art in public spaces is not just advertising. It offers moments of personal growth."

Barbosa said she hopes this landmark project marks the beginning of a cultural renaissance in public transit aesthetics. 

"I've been told I’ve just set a precedent. And that means everything to me, because I don't think public transit should be dismal; we deserve better,” she said.

Standard-Times staff writer Seth Chitwood can be reached at schitwood@s-t.com. Follow him on twitter: @ChitwoodReports.Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Standard-Times today.