PUBLIC ART
MBTA MURALS:
In 2024, with the support of the MBTA, the City of Malden invited Creative Malden to develop a mural for the retaining wall along Summer Street, through a grant opportunity. The two key requirements were that the mural had to be removable in case of future work on the wall, and that it must involve community participation.
We gathered a small group of local artists to brainstorm. Given the site’s history — with trains running above this wall for over 100 years, and at the location of the Pearl Street Station restaurant which once served as an actual train station — we landed on a unifying theme: the history of trains in Malden.
We issued a call for artists to create individual 5’x8’ mural panels inspired by that theme and invited a Malden High School art class to participate as well. What emerged was more than just a tribute to trains. Each mural tells a story, not just of transit, but of the people who use it. The work highlights the human experience of public transportation — the diversity, the shared spaces, the everyday moments that bring people together. It reminds us that the MBTA is more than a system; it’s a thread that connects our lives.
We hope you enjoy this collaborative mural and its many perspectives on train travel — and we invite you to go home and create your own train-inspired art.
View photos from the unveiling event: MURAL PHOTOS 2025
Artist: Bitho faustin
Title: Orange Line – Human Connection
My mural at Malden Center, featuring the iconic (MBTA) Orange Line, is an homage to the city’s spirit of movement, connection, and community. For me, public transportation is not just a means of travel—it is a powerful symbol of resilience and unity, embodying the daily rhythms that link people to each other and to the places they call home.
At the heart of this work is a celebration of diversity and inclusion. By capturing this scene, I hope to elevate Malden Center from a transit hub to a place of transformation, connection, and reflection, where every journey matters. This mural is not just an image of a train station; it is a celebration of movement, unity, and the rich tapestry of lives that shape this city.
Artist: Grace Julian-Murthy
Title: A View from Malden
In a fast-moving world, the train can provide moments of solitude and reflection. By enjoying the view from the train, It allows the riders time to stop and smell the roses. Appreciating the beauty that can often be overlooked, offer moments for the rider to experience and ultimately enjoy a view from Malden.
Artist: Karyn Alzayer
Title: Pearl Street Station
I plan to paint an image of Pearl Street Station from the time it was still a train station, with swirls in the corners to evoke the feeling of peering into a memory. I used solid blocks of color, inspired by vintage WPA-style posters and postcards.
Artist: Maria Cortes
Title: From playing to building the future
The concept behind this MBTA mural, titled “From Playing to Building the Future,” centers on the
idea that every member of the community has the potential to make a lasting impact. The imagery of a young girl playing with toy trains symbolizes the journey from childhood curiosity to professional achievement, as she dreams of one day becoming an engineer and creating the next generation of trains for her community. The toy trains also pay homage to Malden’s beloved “Charles Ro: America’s Largest Train Store,” a place that has sparked wonder in countless children. In the mural, the toy train tracks seamlessly transition into subway lines, representing how even the most significant achievements start with humble beginnings.
Artist: Priyanka Vasagam
Title: Orange line on a winter night
The mural depicts the Orange T-line cutting through a winter night scene at Malden Center, its bold, vibrant color standing out against the darker, cooler tones of the night sky.
The mural is rendered in a bold, graphic style, reminiscent of Pop Art, with fun and saturated colors. The exaggerated colors & graphic lines bring a sense of whimsy to the otherwise industrial scene. The mural is also filled with commuters to evoke a sense of urban energy that mirrors the bustle of the city. My goal through this mural is to turn a routine subway ride into a vibrant visual celebration.
Artist: Mural design a collaboration between Charles A. And Stephanie M. Stigliano
Title: Color Block
My husband, Charles A. Stigliano, and I have been riding the T since 1984 when we lived in East Boston and didn’t own a car. These designs are based on his subway drawings. For our family, the Malden T provided years of connection to Boston and places north, south, and west.
It is increasingly important for me to show the “work of the hand” because now many of our interactions are impersonal. In this mural design I hope to highlight the sense of community and shared journey that his sketches represent.
Artist: Malden High School Students and Kristina Gilbert
Title: A Journey Through Time
Under the guidance of art teacher Kristina Gilbert, Malden High School students were invited to create images of trains that have passed through Malden over the years. With over 20 unique submissions, it was impossible to choose just one. This mural brings together a selection of those student works into a vibrant, unified collage. Surrounding a central Orange Line train, the mural features scenes from the age of steam engines to today’s MBTA, capturing the evolution of public transit in Malden. The result is a dynamic tribute to the role of transportation in connecting our community across generations.
Artist: Naomi Kahn
Title: Trains
When designing this mural, besides having the seven works by various artists, I felt like the mural
needed a beginning and an end. Since the mural is about the history of trains coming through this area, I
researched and found an old black and white picture of a locomotive and a sort of 1980s version of the
Orange line. I decided to make the locomotive Malden’s blue and gold colors, making it look less
foreboding than a big black and white version. With the Orange line train, I wanted that to be a little
more playful to appeal to children walking by. I had a great time painting these trains and hope that
people will enjoy them for years to come!