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Graphic Photo Walls Celebrate the Evolution of Amtrak and the Regions It Serves

By October 19, 2021Uncategorized
Ye Rin Kim created a colorful celebration of Amtrak’s history of moving America forward.

WASHINGTON – As part of Amtrak’s year-long 50th anniversary celebration, a series of colorful graphic photo canvasses are appearing at dozens of stations around the country during fall 2021. Amtrak customers and station visitors are encouraged to post photos on social media of themselves in front of these 10 by 8 foot “walls” with #Amtrak50 to share their enthusiasm for train travel with their family, friends and followers.

The designs were created through a collaboration between Amtrak and the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). Eleven designers submitted art for consideration as part of a competition that was judged by Amtrak staff. In the end, the works of two MICA students and a recent MICA graduate, along with that of a current Amtrak intern, were selected as the winning images that appear on the canvasses.

Left, Demond Young produced a modern mash-up of iconic middle America, while right, Victoria Grzesiak wove past and present in an abstract of Amtrak’s logo.
Left, a retro design by Ye Rin Kim proves that everything old is new again, while right, Allison Hao used color and movement to pay tribute to the American West.

“We encouraged these young designers to create something colorful, memorable and exciting to help us celebrate our 50 years,” said Doug Duvall, Amtrak assistant vice president of corporate communications. “They did not disappoint us. They created graphic photo walls that reflect the dynamic evolution of our brand and the regions we serve. We are grateful to MICA and its staff for partnering with us on this project.”

The winning designers are:

  • Victoria Grzesiak of Glen Ellyn, Ill., an Amtrak intern who is a fourth-year student studying economics and design at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Allison Hao of Fremont, Calif., a fourth-year MICA student majoring in graphic design.
  • Ye Rin Kim of Tongyoung, South Korea, a fourth-year MICA student majoring in graphic design.
  • Demond Young of Toledo, Ohio, a recent MICA graphic design alum.

Posted October 19, 2021