Subway Body Cushions, 2019
Foam, vinyl
12 x 1 x 30”

Subway Body Cushions is a 2-hour intervention on the Boston MBTA Red Line. It responds to the lack of personal space on public transportation by providing soft cushions that people can place between seats. However, the cushions cannot stand on its own and rely on two passengers to hold it up collaboratively. Thus, the cushions not only serve as a personal space creator but also an object linking the strangers; it replaces the uncomfortable situation of trying not to touch each others’ bodies with an opportunity to connect in a simple way. During the two-hour intervention, some passengers used the cushions and many discussed it or laughed about it together.  


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