THE BOOK

Since the mid 1990s tramways communities and artists of Melbourne & Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) have explored relationships between their cities through the medium of tramways. After a decade of artful interventions this book unfolds a story of friendship, dialogue and imagination.

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REVIEWS OF THE TRAMJATRA BOOK?

"exhilerating"
- The Age

"sets out to map ... the collective consciousness of tram users and workers, the system's reflection of the life and image of the city, and hence the actual thought and art it fosters"
- Bibio: A Review of Books

"makes trams a cultural experience"
- Hindustan Times

"an intersection where public transport and public art ... connect, and so too artist and audience, driver and passenger"
- Art Monthly Australia

"a unique initiative"
- Hindustan Times

"tram global, feel local"
- The Age

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SHARED LUNG

Tram conductors of Calcutta Tramways Company are invited to wear a change of uniform for one day in September 2005.

 

ARCHIVE OF MELBOURNE SEASONS:

> Summer 2006-2007
> Commonwealth Games 2006

 

Love Is Life (Piyar Zindagi Hai)

First season for Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games. Video by Mick Douglas.

 

Karachi 2 Melbourne

45min documentary about the making of the W-11 Tram by Pakistani minibus decorators.

Documentary filmed and directed by Vajid Ali.

 

HAVE W-11 TRAM, CAN TRAVEL

Melbourne travelers have been asking ‘where is the W-11 Tram?’ It is taking rest. Last Melbourne summer twenty pairs of strangers met to have an 'overheard' conversation whilst traveling a lap of the city; twenty different groups of artists led an 'overboard' improvised performance journey for a lap of the city; 20,000 souvenir artwork tickets were gifted; and over 40,000 passengers ‘otherwise’ encountered one another in a uniquely disarming and free public setting whilst onboard hosts from Karachi and Melbourne broke the ice of public inhibitions, cajoling strangers to share a bit of themselves. And yes, the most unlikely assemblages of people can spontaneously combust into dancing together on the W-11 Tram.

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W11 TRAM PROJECT RETURNED TO KARACHI ... FILM SCREENING + EXHIBITION

On a recent September Sunday evening the story of the W-11 TRAM collaborative art project returned to Karachi. An open-air public screening on a half-closed major road at North Karachi's Allah Walli showed a documentary film by Wajid Ali and a video artwork by Mick Douglas, all while the W-11 mini-buses continued to ply the road alongside into the night. A co-inciding exhibition was held at VM Gallery, Rangoonwala Community Centre in Karachi, and was extended for two months due to demand.

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