Interesting Things You've Seen or Done Recently

[Emiliano]

So the past few months I have not been in a very good mood, and I wanted to post about something that has made me really happy lately. But I didnt know if a thread all about me nerding out about the NYC subway would work very well on its own. Then I was talking to [MENTION=1766]princealbertofb[/MENTION] earlier and he shared he had seen a cool exhibition recently that he was thinking about posting about, so instead of just making it about me, I decided to make this thread as a place where anyone can talk about / nerd out on something really interesting artistic/cultural that they have seen or done lately.



As for my contribution:
At my core, I'm a huge transit/infrastructure nerd. I also love history, especially the history of my city. Ever since I was a kid, I've been learning about and excitedly awaiting the second ave subway. Plans for that subway line first showed up in 1929, and construction and planning for it has been on and off during the 30s, 40s, 50s, and 70s.

A few years ago though, much to my excitement, and a lot of skepticism, NYC promised to begin construction on the subway line again. And on Jan 1st, 2017, phase 1 of the second ave subway finally opened for passenger service. That's exciting enough for people like me, but the really awesome part of these four new stations are the art installations. It's honestly some of the best art in the NYC subway. I know for those of you who are only familiar with NYC through movies and tv shows, you probably don't associate the subway with world class art, but we actually have tons of amazing artwork throughout the system, and art and architecture have always been a fundamental part of the subway since it opened in 1904.

Anyway, to get to the point, last night I went on my version of a dream date and we went to check out the new stations / art installations ourselves. After going through the new stations, I felt like I'd just got done exploring an art museum. I had some really strong reactions to the art and I thought I'd share my excitement with you guys.

This video kind of sums it all up:



These articles are good reads if you have the time/interest:
https://www.google.com/amp/mobile.nytime...n.amp.html
https://www.google.com/amp/mobile.nytime...t.amp.html
https://qz.com/876238/inside-new-yorks-n...ue-subway/
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.busines...os-2016-12


One of the most talked about pieces already is the gay couple:

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/201...ouple.html

My favorite though is from 63rd street



I love the idea of catching the gaze of a historic New Yorker, understanding the shared experience across time. I love that the sky in the mosaic is actually the shape of the old second ave el train... I just think it does a beautiful job of highlighting the ny identity and experience and how integral transit is to those things.

[TigerLover]

Well I love your passion Emiliano.

I really like the first mosaic and love the last mosaic in the video. But with Mosaics 2 and 3 I feel like the last thing a subway needs is more modern people. I get that you want to celebrate diversity but damn Chuck Can't I get some escape for two damn minutes. That's whats so Iconic about the Kafka mosaics, a splash of madness in the mundane.

Still much as I love museums subways are definitely the best place for art. Plus how cool is it that an ancient Greek artform is still so promimant in the modern world.

[Emiliano]

Well I love your passion Emiliano.

I really like the first mosaic and love the last mosaic in the video. But with Mosaics 2 and 3 I feel like the last thing a subway needs is more modern people. I get that you want to celebrate diversity but damn Chuck Can't I get some escape for two damn minutes. That's whats so Iconic about the Kafka mosaics, a splash of madness in the mundane.

Still much as I love museums subways are definitely the best place for art. Plus how cool is it that an ancient Greek artform is still so promimant in the modern world.

lol I'm glad that my passion can be appreciated. This stuff really mixes all my favorite things in the world - infrastructure, the subway specifically, history, art, identity, and NYC. So thanks for indulging me and sharing some of your thoughts.

I don't mind modern people depicted in the subway, eventually they are going to be seen as old fashioned too. Especially considering the 2nd ave subway won't be completely finished until at least 2048. I'm sure by then society will be different in many ways.

In terms of the focus on diversity and representation, I'm curious why that would bother you. NYC is an incredibly diverse city, immigration and the immigrant experience has always shaped this city, the subway has always been open for people of all backgrounds (integration by law in public transportation happened in the 1870s in NYC), and it's incredibly meaningful for the people who are seeing themselves reflected in the art. Maybe in some cities / parts of this country, a conscience effort to show diverse representations of people in public art seems forced, political, or insincere. But for NYC, and especially in our subway, it makes sense, it's appropriate, and if anything it's overdue.

The 72nd Street Station is getting a lot of praise for the gay couple as I mentioned above, but it also has a mosaic of a man wearing a turban and a south Asian woman in a sari. Those two got a lot of attention as well. I tried to find the video of an Indian woman talking about how she felt to see the mosaic of the woman dressed in the sari but I haven't been able to find it in a YouTube format I could embed here, but here is a quote from the nytimes:

“I don’t think I’ve ever come across subway art before that makes me feel so seen,” she explained through tears. “This woman could be my aunt, she could be my cousin.”

Standing beside the mosaic, she and a stranger exchanged a knowing glance. “Representation matters,” they agreed, as several other people snapped photos of the woman wearing the sari.

Ms. Harihareswara, a longtime transit enthusiast, said she was struck by the diversity of the subjects depicted in the mosaics throughout the new stations, which also showcase a mural of a gay couple holding hands.

“There is no feeling quite like seeing yourself cemented into the infrastructure of New York,” Ms. Harihareswara said. “It lets me know that my city loves me.”

And this is a quote from another article about the mosaic of the man wearing a turban:

'Love this mosaic of a Sikh American in New York City's newest subway station. Love that our kids will grow up feeling represented,' tweeted Simran Jeet Singh, an academician and a New Yorker.

By the Kafka mosaics, are you talking about the ones based off of historic photos with the blue skies? Or something else?

And you said you really liked the last one featured in the video? I think that's the Sarah Sze Blueprints for a Landscape?





I have to be honest, that's the one I didn't really "get"... what about that one really appealed to you?



I also have to strongly agree about the subway being a perfect place for art. I really love the idea that art should never be confined to the walls or context of a museum. I love public art, I love art that you can touch, interact with, that gets dirty and damaged and shaped by the environment and other external factors. I love art that's out there and vulnerable, art that has a lifespan, art that is trusting the people passing by it not to destroy it... for me, it makes it more meaningful.

[artyboy]

Sadly its to cold for me to do everything interesting. Can't wait for Spring to come than I can get back to walking around Bristol again.

[Confuzzled4]

Art is always nice. I went rock climbing for the first time yesterday with a good friend. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Emiliano]

Sadly its to cold for me to do everything interesting. Can't wait for Spring to come than I can get back to walking around Bristol again.

That's kind of how I feel about the snow right now. I called out of my job today because I'm legit not feeling well. But I'm also not feeling having to walk through snow, slush, and ice.

[artyboy]

That's kind of how I feel about the snow right now. I called out of my job today because I'm legit not feeling well. But I'm also not feeling having to walk through snow, slush, and ice.

Snow is coming this way now (UK), hope its just BS people are saying lol!, Not a fan of snow as I cant walk in it at all and they don't grit my road either.

[LJay]

Emiliano, your love for your city is a wonderful thing. It makes me want to be there. Since I cannot do that, it is even better that it helps me to see my own town more closely.