Track 16 reincarnates, with a twist, as the Expo Line barrels toward the beach

It was with mixed emotion that we saw the enormous art and performance space mowed down to make way for the Expo Line. On the one hand, who wouldn’t support more mass transit, especially in our gridlocked part of the world? On the other, more mass transit meant the end of this dynamic space that had showcased so many for 20 years. This is what the popular Track 16 gallery at Bergamot Station in Santa Monica looked like when we last told you about it in December.

Here’s what it looks like now.

Recently, founder Tom Patchett and his trusty crew welcomed friends to their new space over in Culver City.

They’ve dropped the word “gallery” from their name. Now, Track 16 has morphed more into the world of an art dealer. And they still dispatch the books they produced under their “Smart Art Press” imprint.

Meanwhile, the Expo Line tracks that displaced Track 16 from its original home continued to unfurl.

Now, while everyone left at Bergamot endures the evolution of the Expo Line construction, there’s “Dig the Dig.” To celebrate the transformation underway, The Santa Monica Museum of Art has engaged artist Bettina Hubby to “artify” (our word, not theirs) the construction area. Orange safety cones will hold flower arrangements along construction fencing, with more adornment to come.

Watch this space in a few days, when we’ll tell you about more art near the construction site, including pieces from dynamo musician Herb Alpert, who is soon to have some of his sculptures installed on 26th Street.