Mosaics at the New York subway
Mosaics have been part of the New York subway system dating back to its opening in 1904. Since then they have been informing, directing or simply mesmerising passers-by. To see art you don’t have to go to a museum anymore. For the price of a single subway ticket, you can see the museum-quality artwork in a number of places around the city. On my last visit to New York,
I’ve decided to visit some of them. I’ve picked 3 stations: 34 St & Hudson Yard, Second Avenue-86th Street and Second Avenue-72nd Street. Today let’s take a look at the first one.
34 St & Hudson Yard
The first mosaic I have visited is located at the entrance to the Hudson Yards subway station on 34th Street and it is breathtaking. It has been installed in 2015 and it is a stunning addition to the MTA’s collection of subway artworks. The mosaic installation is part of The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Arts and Design Program that started mid-1980s which have helped to interpret as mosaics artworks of over 75 artists, including Robert Kushner, Jacob Lawrence and Faith Ringgold.
The mosaic at the entrance of 34 St & Hudson Yard Station is a work by Xenobia Bailey titled Funktional Vibrations. Bursting with colour, the glass mosaic tiling features hypnotizing mandalas, patterns and textures. And the entrance to the station is only the beginning. As you go down the escalator you will find a vibrant glass mosaic embedded in the dome of the station’s ceiling. According to the MTA, Bailey first created the mosaics as crocheted pieces, a medium that she primarily works in, before transferring them to a digital form. The artwork was then enlarged and interpreted into a mosaic by Miotto Mosaic Art Studio. Bailey’s artwork is also one of the largest commissioned by the MTA’s Arts & Design collection.
For more, check out this fantastic summary of all the other mosaics that can be found on the New York Subway stations or use this handy map to find them and learn more about them.