The myth that the New York subway is scary, dirty, and terrible has been firmly held since the dysfunctional 1980s, when the city was highly criminal and unsafe, and subway cars were lavishly painted with graffiti. In fact, the subway, as New Yorkers call it, does not shine with cleanliness, is not decorated with marble, and does not impress with palace monumentality; however, it has its own characteristics. There is a lot of public art and mosaics created in a recognizable style.
81 Street Museum of Natural History
Perhaps the brightest and most intriguing station is the one with many mosaics depicting different animals, from giant dinosaurs and a diving whale to hummingbirds and mice.
It’s worth driving to the station, even if the Natural History Museum itself isn’t interesting to you. And if you find yourself passing on the Blue Lines A or C, I highly recommend stopping and getting out to admire the incredible number of bright mosaics depicting animals. Consider that the museum begins at the subway, not from the main entrance.
The mosaic installation, created in 2004, is called “For Want of a Nail” and is the largest in the history of the New York subway. It features tigers, ostriches, lizards, crocodiles, frogs, and all sorts of other living creatures. Moreover, the mosaics are not arranged in a boring row, but are found in completely unexpected places – on the ceiling, in the corners, on the floor. Wander around this large docking station, up and down, through two levels, entering and exiting from all exits A, B, and C.
The phrase “For want of a nail” is the first line of a poem, symbolizing the butterfly effect – how our actions can lead to drastic changes.
42 Street Time Square
Do you love modern American art but don’t have time to visit museums? The gigantic and crowded 42nd Street Time Square, although the most congested, is also the richest in contemporary art, with 13 metro lines flowing into this large interchange hub. The main treasure of the underground city is a pop-art mosaic panel in the lobby of the passage, created by the renowned US artist Roy Lichtenstein shortly before his death. It’s a kind of declaration of love and a gift to your beloved city, with the number 42 in the middle being a fragment of the original plate from 1904.
23 Street
It’s a matter of finding a hat, and the 23rd Street station is the place to look. The platform of this small station in Midtown is like a free museum of hats, and it also has a large photo zone. Along the entire platform, tiles are lined with mosaics of various headdresses from all times, such as hats, top hats, bowlers, sombreros, boaters, and much more. Moreover, the hats are located at different levels of human growth, so that anyone can find and “fit” into their own hat. The station was opened in 1918, and in 2002, 120 mosaic hats, worn by famous people from 1880 to 1920, were added to the station. Mark Twain, Oscar Wilde, Eleanor Roosevelt, Marie Curie, O’Henry, and Sarah Bernhardt (who had the most original hat) are among the many people who have donned headdresses.
City Hall (closed station)
The most elegant, refined (in the neo-Romanesque style), and shortsightedly-built station of the city has been closed since 1945 due to its semicircular structure. The station is located beneath the New York City Hall building and was a hallmark of the rapidly developing city. The station became unusable due to its curving tracks, which were too sharp for the new, modern trains of cars. Nevertheless, its beauty still arouses interest; for example, the final battle scene in the movie “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” was filmed there. The station can be seen if you stay in the car at the end station of the Brooklyn Bridge – City Hall. However, it is better to sign up for a tour in advance, which is held several days a year. Believe me, any New Yorker will envy you.
Essex and Delancey
In the creative and bohemian East Village, and the subway to match, where else can you find giant green fish looking at hurrying passengers with a slight philosophical sadness? The Japanese artist Ming Fei was tasked with capturing the spirit of old New York, so he decided to depict giant shad fish (a type of herring) that were found in the Hudson River on the walls of the station. On another platform, Fey created a cherry orchard that grew in the 17th century on the site where the metro stands now.
34th Street–Penn Station
At the bustling 34th Street – Penn Station, where intercity trains and buses flock, you will find Eric Fischl’s wondrous beauty of the circus and circus-themed mosaic called The Garden of Circus Delights. The theme of the circus was not chosen by chance; not far from the station is Madison Square Garden, where an annual major circus performance is held. Just keep in mind that the townspeople, who are always in a hurry, will constantly interfere with your attempts to appreciate the full scale and beauty of the mosaics that belong in the museum.
Christopher Street – Sheridan Square
The quiet station in Greenwich Village is a declaration of love for the area and its famous characters who lived, loved, wrote books, plays, paintings, composed music, fought for social justice, and participated in protest movements. In fact, this is a quest station, a highly intellectual puzzle for those interested in the history of New York. Greenwich Village was a hub for activists fighting for various rights, from feminism to the first gay parade, from which ideas spread around the world.
125th Street Station
Do you want to learn about the history of Harlem and its inhabitants without having to go out onto its streets? The mosaics of 125th Street are ready to tell you more than any guidebook could. Where else would you meet flying people? Harlem-raised artist Faith Ringgold lovingly captures the area’s rich history and culture, its colorful and unique identity, in her work “The Flying House: Heroes and Heroines of Harlem”. In the same place, among the soaring jazz musicians and singers, one can find mosaics of cult musical theaters and clubs in Harlem, such as the famous Apollo Theater, where many famous black musicians have performed, singers and stand-up comedians began their careers at the Cotton Club jazz club, where Duke Ellington performed, and the Harlem Opera building.
28th street
The New York subway is adorned with fresh, blooming mosaics of magnolias and other flowers, which have become a popular attraction for Instagram bloggers who specially select their outfits for their photo shoots. Artist Nancy Bloom decided to depict the flowers that grow in Madison Square Park, beloved by the citizens, on the walls of the station, so as not to forget the beauty of nature amidst the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
23rd Street
After making a loop on the long New York subway, return to 23rd Street. Here, you’ll find Flo and Topper, the Weimar Hounds that photographer and artist William Wegman loves to portray. On the subway, he showed his beloved dogs in both uniform and casual clothing, giving them the appearance of people.