FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 2020 WONDERFUL NEW ART IN THE SUBWAY STATIONS
FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 2020
The
130th Edition
From Our Archives
TRANSIT ART AND DESIGN
SUBWAY ART AND MURALS
Sandra Bloodworth is the Director of the award-winning public art program, MTA Arts & Design. Since the program (formerly Arts for Transit) was launched in 1985, its team has turned New York’s century-old transportation network into a first-rate museum, exposing millions of transit riders to art, music and poetry.
Within the MTA network, you experience artworks created in mosaic, terra cotta, bronze, glass and mixed-media sculpture. Arts & Design serves the over 8.7 million people who ride subway and commuter trains daily and strives to create a meaningful transportation experience. Sandra joined Arts & Design in 1988 and has served as the Director since 1996. During her tenure, she has shepherded countless vibrant and meaningful works of art installed in subway and rail stations, while maintaining a clear and focused role as the MTA’s voice for quality urban design.
There has been an enormous growth of art installations including major hubs–like Times Square, and Atlantic Terminal—and installations in neighborhoods across the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan—and the newest transportation projects: the Fulton Center, the 7-Line Extension, and extraordinary artwork for the Second Avenue Subway.
Under Sandra and her team of arts professionals, Arts & Design has been a powerful catalyst for positive changes with the public’s perception of the New York subway. Today, the program is beloved by millions who find their travel experience enhanced by public art, the Poetry In Motion program, the Lightbox photographs, the Music Under New York program, and special events in Grand Central Terminal, and Fulton Center. Arts & Design remains unwavering in its commitment to upholding the subway founders’ credo that the subway should be a place of beauty incorporating the highest design standards. In doing so, Bloodworth and her team have helped popularize the unique iconography of the New York City subway around the world.
DOWNLOAD A GUIDE TO THE TRANSIT ARTWORKS AT:
http://web.mta.info/mta/aft/about/N11802_AFTenroutemechx.pdf
28th Street and Seventh Avenue
The platform walls are covered in beautiful glass mosaic murals created by Miotto Mosaic Art Studio based on drawings by artist Nancy Blum. The murals depict vibrant red buds, hellebores, witch hazel, magnolias, daffodils, hydrangeas and camellia plants, all flowers that represent the perennial collection of the Madison Square Park Conservancy. Blum told the MTA that the goal of her design was to capture the magic of the park and enhance the station environment for subway riders.
(Untapped Cities)
FUNKTIONAL VIBRATIONS 2015
34th St–Hudson Yards
XENOBIA BAILEY Funktional Vibrations, 2015 Glass Mosaic Bailey’s artwork consists of majestic mosaics suspended above the main entrance of the new 34 St – Hudson Yards station that provide a celebratory welcome. The art crowns the station and features overlapping mandala-like circles and patterns against a cobalt blue background. In the upper right a sun-like form emits rays of color bands. Starbursts of bright light appear through the blue background. The glass mosaic artwork is vibrant, joyous and rich with pattern and texture and among the largest in Arts & Design’s collection of commissioned works in the MTA transit network. Inside the station mezzanine, the curved recessed ceiling dome contains glittering mosaics, also set against a deep blue background with repeating mandalas and patterns.
3 STREET & SIXTH AVENUE F/M STATION
WILLIAM WEGMAN
I wanted to create portraits of individual characters, people who you might see next to you on the platform,” explained Wegman in a statement. And in order to do this, he employed his “quirky sense of humor” and depicted the larger-than-life dogs wearing street clothes and being grouped like waiting passengers. The MTA tapped the artist — who has been taking photographs and videos of his beloved dogs for over 40 years — and long-time Chelsea resident for the project, which is called “Stationary Figures” and has been two years in the making.
72 STREET B/C STATION
SKY by YOKO ONO
“SKY” comprises six separate mosaics spanning both station platforms and mezzanine. The mosaics altogether measure 973 square feet and show a blue, cloud-filled sky embedded with written messages of hope. As riders move through the subterranean subway station, the messages of hope appear in the clouds as the perspective shifts in each mosaic. The transformation of photographs into mosaic sky paintings with subtle gradations in color and tone has created a visually striking station environment. Two mosaics are above the mezzanine stairs leading to the southbound platform where two more pieces are featured, and one mosaic each is installed on the northbound platform and in the main turnstile area on the mezzanine level.
ASTORIA BLVD STATION
Newly commissioned artwork from MTA Arts & Design by MacArthur Fellow Jeffrey Gibson. The glass artwork is called “I AM A RAINBOW TOO”.
A GLORIOUS POSTER FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST
TAKE A GOOD LOOK AND WHAT CAN YOU IDENTIFY?
CONVEX DISC AT ROOSEVELT ISLAND STATION BY ROBERT HICKMAN
A SPRINKLE OF HUMOR
OUR FRIENDS AT RIOC ARE ADDING SPRINKLER CAPS TO SOME OF OUR HYDRANTS FOR SUMMER FUN. THESE HYDRANTS IN SHELBURNE, VERMONT WOULD REALLY DO A GREAT JOB!
FRIDAY IMAGE OF THE DAY
WHAT AND WHERE IS THIS?
SEND SUBMISSIONS TO: ROOSEVELTISLANDHISTORY@GMAIL.COM
WINNER GETS A KIOSK TRINKET
THURSDAY PHOTO OF THE DAY
Under the Octagon staircase, work is being done to reinforce the stone stairs above. The steel is being installed to support the massive weight and to prevent water seepage. Parts of the staircase date from the 1830’s. Entry to this area is from doorways on either side next to the main outside entrance.
ITEMS OF THE DAY
FROM THE KIOSK
GREAT STUFF FOR ALL OCCASIONS
UMBRELLAS $10-
SOCKS FOR GUYS AND GALS $10-
EDITORIAL
I have admired the work of Transit Art and Deign for years. Now we have new lightboxes in many locations and improved design in stations. I consider rides quick art shows. Enjoy the art, which can make the ride go faster.
Judith Berdy
Text by Judith Berdy
Thanks to Bobbie Slonevsky for her dedication to Blackwell’s Almanac and the RIHS
Thanks to Deborah Dorff for maintaining our website
Edited by Melanie Colter and Deborah Dorff
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Roosevelt Island Historical Society
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