Summary
The walls of Bastille station have been decorated with the colors of "Bastille au fil de l’eau", a cultural project launched in 2023. This project tells its unique story and invites you on an imaginative journey—a symbolic voyage embodied by the art of origami and the Canal Saint-Martin, whose waters flow beneath the station, serving as its beating heart.
The project unfolds across two spaces: one physical and the other digital:
- The first immerses travelers through colorful geometric shapes painted on the walls of this stop on metro lines 1, 5, and 8.
- The second takes the form of a video, retracing the journey from adulthood to childhood through origami, guided by the Canal Saint-Martin, which shapes the station’s structure as it flows just a few meters below.
Video credits:
Video: Andrea De Fusco
Sound: Marian Mentrup
Editing: Giulia Olivieri
Grading: Francesco Marotta
This cultural initiative by RATP was designed by the creative agency Itsok, which had already worked on "The Secrets of the Opera" project, at Opéra station.
RATP’s cultural policy
Since its creation, RATP has given pride of place to art in its stations. Combining transport and culture has always been essential. This objective continues to this day, with the company’s two strong desires:
- To make art and culture accessible to all;
- To make its customers’ daily journeys more pleasant and enjoyable.
RATP’s cultural policy is brought to life throughout its network thanks to the presence, staging and inclusion of various forms of artistic expression such as painting, photography, music and poetry.
