Red Bull Becomes Art in Union Station

The ornate entranceway of Union Station is the current base of Red Bull’s exhibition, Art of Can. The clever designs on display are the result of a contest that challenged people to create art with Red Bull cans, and they can be seen until Monday.

The show is almost impossible to miss. It is advertised with large banners on the outside of Union Station. In the interior, towering over the crowds of people coming and going, the metal dome structure of the exhibit dominates an entire section of the hall.

Works by artists of all ages, and 13 different countries can be seen in and around this edifice. Screens showing the meticulous amount of work that went into artists’ pieces transform the exhibit into a multimedia spectacle that draws an ample level of buzz from the bustling crowds of the terminal.

Many of the installations resemble pop art, like a pack of cigarettes, or Red Bull signs made of hundreds of tiny metal pieces. They are not all deliberately promotional, though. The only requisite for submission was the presence of blue and silver can pieces. The effect of this artistic license is that the talented creations encompass everything from whimsical themes to more innovative ones. In terms of size they range from the dimensions of a small portrait to a life-size bull frozen in a gallop.

Friendly members of the Red Bull Wings Team are also on hand at the exhibit. Besides selling cans of the energy drink to potential artists, and thirsty people passing through Union Station, they have condensed booklets of the display available for anyone interested.

Ralph Bragg, 28, a D.C. native, acknowledged that he had some doubts about the huge exhibit at first, but

was ultimately astounded by the outcome.

“Initially, I thought it would be a waste of space… it took a week to put up,” Bragg said. “But I’m still taking it in, and I think it’s cool. Some of it’s weird—but hey, that’s art, and… people did a surprisingly great job with just a bunch of aluminum cans. To say the least, I’ve been very impressed.”

The Art of Can contest is in it’s 12^th year, but this year is the first time that it has been brought to Washington, D.C. While the exhibit features the very best inventions that the contest yielded, including three first place winners, the overall winner of a People’s Choice Award will be revealed on the Oct. 19 to mark the exhibition’s end.