The Dupont Metro Sticker Wars
A living art exhibit in our city's public transport
DC is home to many free art galleries (though most of them are currently closed), exhibiting pieces that illustrate our country’s history and political movements. The National Gallery holds a variety of masterpieces, the Portrait Gallery different interpretations of each president, and the Renwick modern sculptures illustrating all kinds of American backgrounds. But perhaps the most modern, fluid, and in-touch-with-the-people gallery of art — still open despite the shutdown — is that of the Dupont Metro Q Street exit.
Whether you’re waiting patiently on the right or scuttling past on the left, as you descend the 188 foot escalator to the platform, look along the metal siding and see an ever changing collection of stickers. They cover all sides of the political spectrum as well as doodles and ads. The luckiest ones last about a week before someone grabs them by the edge and rips them off.
Political commentary via sticker is a common facet of street art all over DC and the world. But as far as Metro escalators go, Q street definitely seems to be the most popular canvas. More so than the south exit, more so than NoMa Gallaudet, more than Columbia Heights and infinitely more than L’Enfant Plaza.
Does this exit get more traffic than others? Is DuPont just a more politically active neighborhood? Does the length grant more time for sticker holders to consider sticking while they wait to reach the top?
I first began to notice the sticker fervor last summer, during perhaps the height of the debates over Israel and Palestine. You’d see a sticker of a victim of the October 7th attacks captioned “KIDNAPPED BY HAMAS.” Then, someone would cover the victim’s face with a cartoon dove holding a Palestinean flag and saying, “From the River to the Sea!” Then the dove would get smacked with an Israeli flag and the slogan “I stand with Israel!” and boom, “Ceasefire now!” on top of all. And finally someone would come along and rip them all off and start fresh with a “Death, death, to the IDF!” and “FCK HMS”
During Doge’s reign of terror this spring, there were many stickers ridiculing Elon Musk. A personal favorite:
The Elon stickers have all but dissipated since his and Trump’s break-up.
Of course, the bulk of the stickers these days are decrying Trump’s tyranny. I’ve seen plenty calling for the release of the Epstien files or simply illustrating the close friendship between the two. They mock his health secretary, RFK’s, Brain worm and derangement. They compare Trump to the invasive Spotted Lantern Fly, which, Hey! I kind of had that idea first!
Unfortunately, Trump will never so much as peer down into a Metro station. But his staffers will. This stop is mere blocks from where Big Balls got beat up. It’s nice to think that MAGA interns must look straight ahead, ignoring the illustrated jeers and being dizzied by the height of the tunnel as they head off to work. Maybe they’re the ones ripping them off… probably a lot of them are just taking Ubers, though.
Certainly the National Guardsmen, infinitely patrolling the Metro since August, have taken notice of the constant cries to Free DC as they go up and down, up and down, back and forth.
There is a small amount of conservative representation amongst the stickers. One particularly ominous one asks, “Are you a Gender Traitor?”
There are further Left cries for protest and, naturally, demands to free Luigi Mangione.
I’ve never actually spotted anyone putting them on or ripping them off. They appear to me almost magically; a bewitched mirror ever reflecting the greater mood of the district. Like checking the headlines, observing which stickers pop up or disappear can help inform you of the issue of the day.
It isn’t magic, though. It’s the creative process of activists and meme-rs alike, online and in our train tunnels. So next time you descend onto the Red Line take a look at the railings. Choose your favorite, maybe rip off one you hate, or add your own! Keep the life cycle of street art spinning!
