Between terrible talk radio, unforeseeable delays and inconsiderate people, a daily commute can be demoralizing – particularly for those bound to public transit. However, one fellow traveler became mystified by a uniqueness that most overlook during the day to day shuffle, creating the Instagram account idontgiveaseat.
“The idea came while I was on various work trips, or when I was on vacation,” filmmaker Julien Potart shared with HuffPost France. “I noticed that every bus and subway car had its own seat motif. I really liked getting lost in thought as I contemplated these patterns, so that’s why I decided to take photos and collect them. It’s a way for me to pay tribute to these ‘seat-artists’.”
What began as a modest exploration and documentation of the often audacious patterns sewn across the seats of public trains, busses, and metros, Potart’s social media account quickly grew as it caught the attention of friends, and eventually unknown commuters around the globe who began sharing with him their own fabric discoveries.
Out of the hundreds of public transport seat covers Potart has laid eyes on, one of his favorites hails from Kyoto, Japan. The mustard colored fabric is speckled with images of women with children, people with disabilities, and the elderly. “I like them because, besides looking nice, they’re also informative,” Portart told HuffPost, describing the images intended as a creative reminder of priority seating.
https://www.instagram.com/p/4PQWDAqQuo/
Potart’s “Seat Art,” as he has cleverly dubbed it in reference to street art, calls attention to the little details often lost in our daily lives and how even patterns and colors so vibrant and loud can be drowned out in the everyday hustle.
“After a while we don’t notice any more,” says Potart. “There’s a hypnotic quality to them when you take the time to look a little closer. I like the idea that creatives can look at this account for inspiration, these often-overlooked patterns have a richness that is quite impressive in terms of form and colour,” Potart shared with Konbini.
Being a New York-based company, we at Duggal appreciate the reminder that art is not only restricted to galleries and museums, but is out there, everywhere, waiting to be discovered in what many people might consider the mundane. Follow us on Instagram for the latest in digital imaging and visual inspiration.
