Touring NYC: The NYC Subway Art Tour (Part 1 of 6)

Introduction:

Art is everywhere.  Some people agree. Some disagree.

Art, if narrowly conceived, is paintings, sculpture, drawings and the like.  Aside from art in museums, in galleries and above your sofa, art can be found in all sorts of places.  Even the NYC subway. 

Since arriving in NYC seven months ago, we have ridden the subway countless times.  Only recently did we slow down enough to stop and see the art that appears throughout the subway system--on station platforms and in the cars.  If you look, you will find that art is everywhere. 

As for art broadly conceived, more on that later.  

Part I:

  

Longtime New Yorker Phil Desiere operates a fun and informative walking tour focused on art in the NYC subway.  Like some famous castaways, we ventured out on a 3 hour tour and saw as much art as you might view in a museum.  Wherever Phil guided us and directed our attention, we saw art worth appreciating. 

First things first.  Our tour happened to occur on a momentous date, March 24.  On that date in 1900, Hizzoner, NYC Mayor Van Wyck broke ground on the subway system in NYC. 116 years later, construction and expansion of the subway system continue.  The 7 Line was recently extended to Hudson Yards after decades of planning and 8 years of construction.  The Second Avenue Subway, to be known as the T Line, will open in phases starting at the end of 2016.  The T Line was first proposed nearly 100 years ago and tunnel construction began in 1972 before being halted due to the city's financial crisis and then resumed in 2007.  In the small world department, the father of a family friend was an engineer who helped design and construct the Second Avenue tunnel built in the 1970's.

The tour began at Union Square at 14th Street in Manhattan.  Phil led us down into the subway and we did not emerge for the next three hours.

14 Street-Union Square Station:  Starting point of the tour, Union Square entrance (west side)

The 14th Street-Union Square station is one of the oldest stations and mutliple subway lines converge there.  The station has been renovated over time but some of the original artwork is preserved.  Some photos help tell the story.

14 Street-Union Square Station:  Framing Union Square (1998) artwork by Mary Miss, a red frame placed around original wall tiles and directional signage.

14th Street-Union Square Station:  Original station sign, preserved and restored

14th Street-Union Square Station:  A quasi-time capsule shows how subway walls were constructed.  From left to right, concrete with rock, concrete with sand, brick with mortar, covered by tile with mortar.

14th Street-Union Square Station:  Along the platform walls is a 1904 depiction of Union Square long before the subway was built.  The depiction above shows an 1828 scene of houses and trees.

14th Street-Union Square Station:  Along a wide corridor leading to the station, an impromptu 9/11 memorial was placed.  Paul explained that following the attack, travel in Manhattan below 14th Street was restricted.  As a result, Union Square was a meeting point for many New Yorkers and others and many impromptu memorials were erected there.  Later in time, the memorial pictured above was placed. 

14th Street-Union Square Station:  The memorial consists of the names of the victims of the attack on the World Trade Center.  Pictured above is the name of our never-to-be-forgotten dear friend Matt Leonard.  

In addition to artwork on station walls, other artistic activity can be found in the subway.  Musicians and singers of all types perform in the subway.  Some performers, like the one-person band pictured below, appear with permission of the MTA.  The MTA, in the spirit of "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em", has long operated a program to allow approved street performers the opportunity to entertainer subway riders.  The performers are limited to designated prime locations and they are unpaid but they may collect tips.

14th Street-Union Square Station:  "Takin' it to the streets" 

Next stop:  Part 2--8th Street-NYU and Prince Street Stations.