The Duke Street Tunnel is a pedestrian concourse that connects the Kings Street Metro Station to the Carlyle Neighborhood and runs under Duke Street at the Dulany Street intersection.
About 3,000 people walk and bike through the tunnel each day. Many of the users are employees working for businesses located in the area such as the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
As part of the Carlyle Vitality Initiative, Alexandria's Public Art Program commissioned ZeroZero Collective and Mike McConnell to each create original works of art for the tunnel.
ZeroZero Collective
ZeroZero Collective has been commissioned to create an interactive artwork for the tunnel. Stay tuned for more information about their project.
Mike McConnell
Maryland-based artist Mike McConnell has created a series of 12 colorful artworks for the recessed brick areas inside the tunnel:
Nature is my main inspiration. Big bold shapes immediately catch the eye from a distance. Having the shapes look like they continue outside the piece creates a space that feels larger than just the rectangle. There’s a lot of space to be found in my work. The tunnel will feel bigger when the work is installed!
To see the examples Mike has developed for the project, click here.
About Public Art in Alexandria
To learn more about public art in Alexandria, you can review the City Council approved Public Art Implementation Plan & Policy, or learn more about other public art projects in Alexandria.
Visit alexandriava.gov/PublicArt or follow @alexartsoffice on Instagram and Twitter. Add to the conversation with #artsALX.