Moving Art

In December, after a nearly 70-year hiatus, Paris launched its revived tramway on the city’s southeastern border. But, even more remarkable than the clean, silent, modern new transport is the art along the nine-kilometer line. The city commissioned nine artists to create site-specific works in locales from Porte d’Ivry in the 13th to the Pont du Garigliano in the 15th. Some of the pieces are spectacular: Sophie Calle and Frank O. Gehry teamed up to design an extraordinary phone booth: Several times a week, the phone rings and Calle is at the other end. French artist Bertrand Lavier designed an oasis of metal palm trees that appear and disappear through the magic of hydraulics. Near Parc Montsouris, Christian Boltanski installed Les Murmures, beautiful wooden benches that whisper love stories while you sit on them. Waiting for your ride has never been so much fun. www.tramway.paris.fr