Garden in Transit

When I first started seeing cabs with these floral patterns, I assumed that it was some sort of trend that drivers and the public would soon regret with the art deteriorating over time and the subsequent shabby looks and bad repainting jobs. I was relieved to find out that the decorations are stickers and can be easily removed. Apparently taxi drivers as well as the public share confusion as to the meaning of the flowers - many (incorrect) rumors have been circulating. Garden in Transit is a privately financed $5 million art, education and creative therapy project as part of TAXI 07, a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the first metered taxicab in NYC. 23,000 children in schools and hospitals - in addition to many adult volunteers - have painted 80,000 flowers on 750,000 square feet of adhesive panels. The project is sponsored by the community art organization Portraits of Hope, founded by Bernard and Ed Massey. It was 7 years in the making (first conceived and proposed to the city in 2000) and approved by the Taxi and Limousine Commission in 2006 - the Mayor's press release and formal announcement was made July 18, 2006. Garden of Transit workers approach cab drivers at night at their various haunts - diners, Kennedy Airport etc. and persuade them to participate. The decals are installed on the spot for free. The moving exhibition is for four months - September through December 31, 2007. After that, it is up to drivers/owners to remove the decals when and if they choose ...

Technical Note: The material used was MACtac IMAGin® B-Free vinyl with a patent-pending bubble-free air egress adhesive. This sophisticated material is frequently used for vehicle wraps and other surfaces with complex curves.