La Distancia: More Than a Bus Stop

La Distancia / The Distance

Image

Distance can be more than separation — it can be possibility. It represents the space we cross to build new lives, find new neighbors, and share new stories. “La Distancia/The Distance,” a public art project by internationally recognized artist Edra Soto, captures that spirit in the form of a bus shelter that is both functional and symbolic, creating a lasting monument to identity and belonging in the Clark-Fulton neighborhood.

“Along with so many others, mine is a story of moving between various liminal spaces in search of home,” Soto explains. “Through this project, I want to enshrine those moments of waiting, of existing in the in-between… by altering the physical architecture of the landscape to inhabit a space.”

Public Art with Purpose

La Distancia / The Distance is constructed from cast concrete and features the four-pointed star, known as Eban. This star, drawn from West African Adinkra symbology and found on working-class homes across Puerto Rico, represents love, safety, and protection. Its presence here grounds the sculpture in themes of identity and belonging, particularly honoring Cleveland’s Puerto Rican and Latinx communities in the Clark-Fulton neighborhood—the city’s most densely populated Latinx community.

More than just a place to wait for the bus, the shelter embodies the stories of migration and diaspora. Soto spent eight months engaging with residents, artists, and community leaders to ensure La Distancia / The Distance reflects their voices and lived experiences. The result is both a work of art and a gathering place where functionality meets collective memory.

A Monument to Belonging

Situated at the intersection of Southpointe Drive and Scranton Road, outside the MetroHealth Glick Center, La Distancia / The Distance stands as a permanent reminder of the vibrant cultures that shape Cleveland. It acknowledges the histories of those who came before and welcomes those who continue to call this city home.

This project was made possible thanks to the generous support of The Sculpture Center, The Joyce Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, Dealer Tire, and through partnership with MetroHealth and GCRTA.

We invite you to visit La Distancia/The Distance bus shelter that offers not only a seat and shade, but also a sense of belonging for everyone who passes through.