Cherline Philogene: Connecting Through Public Transit and Textiles
02.21.2025
Cherline Philogene (鈥25 Fiber & Social Practice) is using their senior capstone project to explore public transit and textiles as a means of fostering connection among commuters.
Through hands-on, accessible art activities, Philogene aims to break down the invisible social barriers on public transit and create meaningful interactions in a shared public space.
Commuter Community
Cherline Philogene has spent much of their life using public transit, relying on it to navigate daily life, from attending a magnet high school in Miami, Florida鈥攚here long commutes shaped their routine鈥攖o living off-campus in Kansas City without a car. Public transit has been a constant presence, something they value deeply, both as a practical necessity and as a shared, often overlooked social space.
Philogene鈥檚 senior capstone project in the Social Practice Program is an extension of this relationship with transit, a way to challenge the invisible barriers that exist between commuters.
鈥淚 take public transit every day. I see the same people multiple times, but we don鈥檛 really engage. The given is: you have your space, and I have mine. I wanted to break that notion,鈥 Philogene said.
Finding Social Practice
Philogene first learned about social practice through Darcy Deal, 91导航鈥檚 Vice President of Enrollment Management. Like many first-year students, Philogene was eager to explore everything, declaring multiple interests. But it wasn鈥檛 until junior year that they took a class that solidified their understanding of the field.
鈥淚 knew early on that it was something my art fit into. What was really attractive about social practice to me was the way it centers people鈥攜ou create a community,鈥 they said.
Growing up in Florida as an 鈥渁rt kid,鈥 Philogene was always participating in something creative鈥攚hether it was a month-long workshop or a one-day event, there was always someone organizing an opportunity for engagement.
鈥淎 part of me being an artist is realizing that I could be that person鈥攖he one facilitating these experiences for others,鈥 they said.
A Project Rooted in Transit
Their project emerged from a Social Practice capstone class, where Philogene received a grant to realize a vision. Philogene knew they wanted to do something around public transit鈥攁 project that would engage people with textiles in a way that felt accessible and unintimidating.
鈥淚 heard it all the time鈥斺業鈥檓 not an artist.鈥 People are afraid of making something 鈥榳rong.鈥 I wanted to create a space where that fear didn鈥檛 exist,鈥 they said.
Their Fiber professor, Pauline Verbeek, mentioned that she had previously done an exercise with Foundation students using long plastic party streamers. They would stand in a circle, wrapping the material between them to create a weave鈥攁n easy, hands-on activity designed to lower inhibitions and invite play. Inspired by this, Cherline thought about how they could adapt the concept to transit spaces.
Weaving People Together
On public transit, interactions are often unspoken. A familiar stranger becomes part of your routine鈥攜ou recognize them, they recognize you鈥攂ut rarely does that turn into direct engagement. Philogene wanted to create something physical, something visible, that both they and participants could look at and know: I was here. I made this with others.
鈥淚 think about dreams鈥攈ow people in them are often just reimagined versions of faces we鈥檝e seen in passing. Public transit is kind of like that. We overhear people鈥檚 stories, their jokes, their struggles, but we don鈥檛 acknowledge that we鈥檙e all part of the same moving space,鈥 they said.
They set up at three different stops along the KC Streetcar: Union Station, City Market, and the Central Library. The timing of the project directly followed Election Day, and Philogene could feel something in the air鈥攕ome people were stressed, others distant. Even so, many were open to the experience. Some hesitated, gripping the material tightly at first, but eventually, they relaxed.
鈥淲hen the streetcar arrived, I would 鈥榝ree鈥 them, saying, 鈥極kay, I鈥檓 releasing you now!鈥 And they would laugh,鈥 they said.
The loops of wool鈥攕ome messy, some tight, some carefully woven by hesitant hands鈥攁re physical traces of those small moments of connection.
鈥淭here鈥檚 this Peruvian system called quipu, where knots in a textile are used to record history. That鈥檚 what this feels like to me鈥攁 way to preserve fleeting interactions,鈥 they said.
Material and Meaning
Cherline used merino wool roving for the project, a material they love for its softness and ability to hold rich color. They dyed some of it themself, while other pieces were purchased.
Beyond its physical qualities, wool holds deeper meaning for them. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 often associate textiles with the animals they come from. But wool comes from sheep鈥攊t鈥檚 a living material. And we鈥檝e commodified these creatures to the point that they need us now. We鈥檝e bred them to grow so much wool that, without human intervention, they would literally suffocate.鈥
Pushing Past Shyness
Philogene describes themself as a shy person, someone who doesn鈥檛 naturally feel comfortable approaching strangers鈥攁 skill that is often required in Social Practice.
鈥淎t first, I was like, 鈥榃hy did I put myself in this situation? But eventually, to overcome the shyness I felt, I just started pretending I was on an episode of Sesame Street,鈥 they said.
They also knew that choosing the streetcar rather than the bus gave them a better chance of success. 鈥淭he streetcar is more of a leisurely activity here鈥攑eople are in a different mindset than on the bus. It gave me more wiggle room.鈥
Even so, there were challenges. Many people assumed Philogene was asking for money. 鈥淭hey鈥檇 say, 鈥極h, sorry, I can鈥檛 donate anything,鈥 before I even explained the project.鈥 But once they reassured them, most were willing to participate.
For them, the project isn鈥檛 just about making something鈥攊t鈥檚 about disrupting the rhythms of everyday life in a way that invites play, vulnerability, and connection.
鈥淲hen your hands are working, your mind is free. And when you鈥檙e free, you can be open to others,鈥 they said.