Public Art on the NYC's Subway

Photo credit Wilfredo Castillo

In golfers' term, my afternoon was in the bunker today. And so it was time to tackle a thought that has been going around in my mind for a while now. Traveling on NYC's subway lines over the years, I've been pleasantly surprised by the amount of art that surround our daily commute. From uptown to downtown, I've came across a number of whimsical bronze sculptures, and I've particularly liked the ones on the West 14th Street, and Eight Avenue line. These works of art are enchanting, but at the same time, puzzling to be sure. Where did they come from? Who made them? And what is the story behind them?

Since it was time for me to get out of the bunker, I've decided to do some research and find the answers, in order to post the results.

These fun little sculptures are a series of works called Life Underground, that were created in 2001. They are part of a permanent public art exhibit by Tom Otterness, commissioned by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Arts for Transit program. The installation consists of little bronze sculptures located from Central Park to Battery Park City, from Downtown Brooklyn and the Pratt Institute. The entire installation, as Otterness conceived it, is now in place. My favorites are located at the 14th Street, and Eighth Avenue subway station. The artist, Tom Otterness, once said that they represented “the impossibility of understanding life in New York.” Indeed, many of the sculptures are representative of social anarchy. His words, not mine.

It is my hope that you find them as delightful as I did.

All images by Wilfredo Castillo