The Red Line D.C. Project

Identity, art & a city in transit.

"The Red Line D.C. Project is a community-based documentary project about illegal art and public space. With the Washington metro as our backdrop, a fifteen minute ride along the Northeast portion of the Red line metro represents the changing face of the city."

B&W Red Line D.C. Logo, Saaret Yoseph, Cory Stowers, 2013-06-01, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Graphic Red Line D.C. Logo, Saaret Yoseph, Cory Stowers, 2013-06-01, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Red Line D.C. Logo, Saaret Yoseph, Cory Stowers, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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SEE / LINE DVD Cover, Saaret Yoseph, Robel Kassa, 2014-11-01, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Expect Delays, Saaret Yoseph, 2014, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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What Transit & Graffiti Have in Common, Saaret Yoseph, 2012-04-23, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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"THE 

RED LINE"

Metro Map, 2, Saaret Yoseph, 2010, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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No One Beyond This Point, Saaret Yoseph, 2010, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Which Direction?, Saaret Yoseph, 2010, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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STORY = SETTING

The RED LINE is the oldest line within the Metro rail system. It opened on March 27, 1976, and at the time, only ran from Rhode Island Avenue to Farragut North. Today, there are 27 stops along the route. SEE / LINE focuses on the outdoor segment that runs toward Glenmont.



The METROPOLITAN-BRANCH TRAIL (MBT) broke ground by Rhode Island Avenue station in the summer of 2009. The stretch between New York Avenue and Franklin Street, featured prominently in the film, is part of an 8-mile path paralleling the B&O Railroad, that will eventually run from Union Station to Silver Spring.



MURALS DC was established in 2007 as a way to abate illegal graffiti with city-sanctioned public art. The Department of Public Works, DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities and nonprofit organization Words Beats and Life, Inc. are responsible for many of the legal works cropping up along the Red line.

No Trespassing, Saaret Yoseph, 2010, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Ultra, Saaret Yoseph, Asad ULTRA Walker, 2010, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Two Tracks, Saaret Yoseph, 2013, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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"Is D.C. metro graffiti nothing more than “visual litter” or cause for conversation in transit? We interviewed stakeholders on opposing tracks to create a unique conversation around illegal public art."

Between Two Tracks, Saaret Yoseph, 2013, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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B&W Brookland Station, Saaret Yoseph, 2003, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Brookland in Color, Saaret Yoseph, 2014, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Aera & Jake, Saaret Yoseph, Aera, Jake, 2000/2008, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Who is JU?, Saaret Yoseph, 2010-12-14, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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This early Red Line D.C. video features an interview excerpt with JU, a D.C. graffiti writer who inspired director / producer, Saaret Yoseph to start her documentary project. 

"THE 

WRITERS"

See Something, Write Something, Saaret Yoseph, Fame, Grave, 2012-02-22, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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GRAVE surveys his work, while his partner FAME paints his own name in the background.

Grave Up Close, Saaret Yoseph, Fame, Grave, 2012-02-22, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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It's after midnight and graffiti writer GRAVE is at work on the Red line.

Grave Up Close, Again, Saaret Yoseph, Fame, Grave, 2012-02-22, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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"For decades, “the Line” has been like a rite of passage for graffiti writers practicing the tradition and promoting their public name."

Grave Up Close, Again, Saaret Yoseph, Fame, Grave, 2012-02-22, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Grave at Work, Saaret Yoseph, Fame, Grave, 2012-02-22, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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"“I hit the Red line so I can be known ... There's so many ways to get on the Line, so many ways. You just gotta find 'em."

-- FAME"

""I always go to Rhode Island, Brookland station, Takoma ... Silver Spring, because they have endless spots -- walls for days ... And, I'm a graffiti writer, so I hit 'em.

-- GRAVE"

In Their Shoes, Saaret Yoseph, Fame, Grave, 2012-02-22, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Grave at Work, Saaret Yoseph, Fame, Grave, 2012-02-22, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Blurred Face Beneath the Bridge, Saaret Yoseph, 2011, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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SEE / LINE Documentary Teaser, Saaret Yoseph, 2014-02-10, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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This teaser clip gives a glimpse of SEE / LINE, the final product of The Red Line D.C. Project. The short, two-part documentary uses interviews with Red line riders and graffiti writers to explore the meaning of everyday aesthetics in the capital city.

"THE

RIDERS"

Video missing
Away from the Window, Saaret Yoseph, 2012, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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"How do commuters regard the the view outside their window?"

For Lease, Saaret Yoseph, Ju, Sumoe, Pear, Gobe, 2010, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Uline Graffiti, Saaret Yoseph, 2011, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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JU's name was one of many that were once visible on the rooftop arches of the building. 

When It Was New York Avenue, Saaret Yoseph, 2010, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Window View, Saaret Yoseph, 2010, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Sean Taylor, Saaret Yoseph, Cert, 2007, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Rabbit's Foot, 2000/2008, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Grave in Green, Saaret Yoseph, 2010, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Amen, Saaret Yoseph, Amen, 2010, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Michael Jackson Piece, Saaret Yoseph, Ju, 2000/2010, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Ju's Graduation Bear, Saaret Yoseph, Ju, 2000/2008, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Nehi & Cert, Saaret Yoseph, Cert, Nehi, 2000/2008, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Cert & Nehi, Saaret Yoseph, Cert, Nehi, 2010, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Pear Multi-Colored, Saaret Yoseph, Pear, 2010, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Pear & Co., Saaret Yoseph, Pear, Roes, 2010, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Geek, Saaret Yoseph, 2010, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Cover & Roes Out the Window, Saaret Yoseph, Cover, Roes, 2010, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Graffiti & Litter, Saaret Yoseph, Roes, Cover, 2010, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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"THE 

TRAIL"

Pedestrians Crossing, Saaret Yoseph, 2011, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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MBT Sign, Saaret Yoseph, 2010, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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MBT Amid Overgrowth, Saaret Yoseph, 2010, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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"NIGHT & DAY -- Change comes to Northeast via the Metropolitan-Branch Trail, a pedestrian pathway being developed, between Union Station and Silver Spring. With it, we see an increase in buffed graffiti, commissioned murals and people accessing the Red line's surrounding space."

Box Car Graffiti, Saaret Yoseph, 2011, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Buffed Walls, Saaret Yoseph, 2011, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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MBT by Franklin St. Bridge, Saaret Yoseph, 2011, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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View of the Metropolitan-Branch Trail (MBT) by Rhode Island Ave. metro station. Fading graffiti is visible on the back wall while the new colors of a legal art piece are present in the foreground.

Pear, Saaret Yoseph, Pear, 2011, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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NSF, Saaret Yoseph, 2011, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Graffiti Through the Fence, Saaret Yoseph, Pear, 2011, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Nori & Pa, Saaret Yoseph, Nori, Pa, 2011, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Tony the Tiger Piece, Saaret Yoseph, Che, Ju, Jake, 2011, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Tony the Tiger Piece, 3, Saaret Yoseph, Che, Ju, Jake, 2011, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Tony the Tiger Piece, 2, Saaret Yoseph, Che, Ju, Jake, 2011, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Tony the Tiger Piece, 4, Saaret Yoseph, Ju, Che, Jake, 2011, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Asun Goes Over, Saaret Yoseph, Huf, Asun, 2011, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Peace is Not Easy, Saaret Yoseph, 2011, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Peace is Not Easy, 2, Saaret Yoseph, 2011, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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""... with regards to the graffiti, it's a little bit different, because the District owns the trail, but we don't own the buildings, these buildings belong to someone else ...

-- HEATHER DEUTSCH, urban planner"

"We know that, typically, wherever we put a mural, we know that's one less wall that will be tagged.

-- NANCEE LYONS, D.C. Dept. of Public Works"

Just Graffiti?, Saaret Yoseph, Asun, 2011, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Sime Piece, Saaret Yoseph, Sime, 2011, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Bubble Letters, Saaret Yoseph, 2011, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Gobe '09, Saaret Yoseph, Gobe, 2011, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Two Tall Tahoe, Saaret Yoseph, Two Tall Tahoe, 2011, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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DLO, Saaret Yoseph, 2010, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Caver, Saaret Yoseph, Caver, 2010, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Graffiti at Crossroads, Saaret Yoseph, 2014, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Caution Tape, Saaret Yoseph, 2010, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Work in Progress, Saaret Yoseph, 2010, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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From Edgewood to the Edge of the World, Saaret Yoseph, 2010, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Hope Defaced, 2, Saaret Yoseph, Aniekan Udofia, 2011, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Hope Defaced, Saaret Yoseph, Aniekan Udofia, 2011, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Hope Defaced, 2, Saaret Yoseph, Aniekan Udofia, 2011, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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A defaced "HOPE" mural, by Rhode Island Ave metro station, sits below the Franklin St. bridge. 

Movement Mural, Saaret Yoseph, 2011, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Hondo Coffee Mural, Saaret Yoseph, 2012, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Change Gears Mural, 3, Saaret Yoseph, Asad ULTRA Walker, 2011, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Change Gears Mural, 4, Saaret Yoseph, Asad ULTRA Walker, 2011, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Change Gears Mural, Saaret Yoseph, Asad ULTRA Walker, 2011, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Change Gears Mural, 2, Saaret Yoseph, Asad ULTRA Walker, 2011, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Mural on the MBT, Saaret Yoseph, 2012, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Half-buffed wall between Rhode Island Ave. and New York Ave. metro station. Layers of paint cover a mural once done by a nearby arts therapy center. The expansive "Crossroads" mural done in the summer of 2014, includes a tribute to the center, done by Cita "Chelove" Cadeli.

Crossroads Mural, 2, Saaret Yoseph, Cita CHELOVE Sadeli, 2014, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Crossroads Mural, Saaret Yoseph, Cita CHELOVE Sadeli, 2014, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Chelove at Work, Cita CHELOVE Sadeli, 2014, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Crossroads Mural, 3, Saaret Yoseph, Coby Kennedy, Cita CHELOVE Sadeli, Maxx Moses, 2014, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Before the Mural, Saaret Yoseph, 2011, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Don't Be a Clown, Saaret Yoseph, 2011, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Before the Mural, 2, Saaret Yoseph, 2011, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Spray Can Down, Saaret Yoseph, Drew Liverman, 2000/2010, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Art Supplies, Saaret Yoseph, 2000/2010, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Drew Liverman, Saaret Yoseph, Drew Liverman, 2000/2010, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Aquatic-Themed Mural, Saaret Yoseph, Drew Liverman, 2000/2010, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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Good Graffiti vs. Bad Graffiti?, Saaret Yoseph, 2011-08-11, From the collection of: The Red Line D.C. Project
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A local resident happens upon a mural in progress while biking on the MBT. He shares his thoughts on the legal work, versus that of illegal graffiti.

Credits: Story

Director / Producer—Saaret E. Yoseph

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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