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Read the press release here.

Wilson Red Line Station to Get $204,000 Art Project by Cecil Balmond

 The Chicago Transit Authority on Wednesday awarded the same contractor with construction contracts to  rebuild the Wilson Red Line  station and complete preliminary work on the  95th/Dan Ryan Red Line reconstruction  project.
CTA Awards Contracts
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UPTOWN — Internationally renowned artist and architect Cecil Balmond, whose resume includes massive public art installations across the globe, has been chosen to create artwork for the Wilson Red Line station.

The CTA made the announcement on Wednesday.

The reborn Wilson station would become the only Red/Purple Line transfer point between the Belmont and Howard stops, and the only wheelchair-accessible station between the Addison and Granville stations. The project is expected to kick off this fall.

While the CTA is planning a $203 million reconstruction of the decrepit, nearly century-old station, it plans to spend an additional $204,000 in Federal Transit Authority funds on public art at the "L" stop once the rebuild ends in 2017.

“We’re pleased to select an artist of Mr. Balmond’s caliber to create artwork for what is one of the largest ‘L’ station construction projects in the agency’s history," CTA President Forrest Claypool said in a statement.

CTA spokeswoman Catherine Hosinki said the artwork will be installed inside the new station's Wilson Avenue main entrance, just beyond the turnstiles on the station house's rear wall.

Balmond, a Sri Lankan-born artist, lives in London and is known for massive public art installations across the globe.

Balmond's past projects include the University of Pennsylvania's Weave Bridge, the Ito-Balmond Serpentine Pavilion in London and the ArcelorMittal Orbit Tower installed for the London Olympics. Balmond is currently working on a project named "the Gretna Landmark, an architectural-scale illuminated sculpture that marks the Scottish and English border crossing," according to CTA.

The CTA promised it will hold public meetings so community members can chime in about the artwork being developed for the station.

The CTA said the agency and the city have plans for more than $3 million in public art for stations slated for upgrades across Chicago. The CTA touted the "growing collection of more than 50 works of art by local, national and international artists, which are currently installed at 41 stations along its eight rail lines."

"With artwork planned for Wilson and other stations," the CTA said, "an additional 21 new works of art will be installed in the coming years — including two installations by Chicago-based and internationally renowned artist Theaster Gates at the new 95th Street Terminal," where a reconstruction project is set to start this fall.

Click here to read DNAinfo Chicago's previous coverage of the Wilson Red Line rehab.

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