SeonAe Moon - Subway Art

Whirls and twirls (MTA), 2009 by Sol LeWitt

This art installation is “Whirls and Twirls” by Sol LeWitt. This tile drawing is installed at a stairway and landing from the mezzanine to the platforms of A, C, B, D and 1 trains in Columbus Circle station. It is 53 feet by 11 feet and consists of more than 200 porcelain tiles in six colors. Smooth curves, and straight bars in vibrant colors with vertically and horizontally way fill the entire wall. The exact dimension of tiles is enough to show significant techniques of Sol LeWitt even though they are not usual materials LeWitt used. It is a special project because it is the last commission before LeWitt passed away and it is permanent public installation. The title “Whirls and Twirls” and curves of the work are like riding a roller coaster. They represent the New York city as the busiest city in the world. Especially, the Columbus Circle station has five different lines. There are more than 69,000 commuters who use this station according to New York Times. The colors represent the station is the center of the tourists, business and recreation; there are Central Park and Columbus Circle, hotels, offices, restaurants, residential areas and shopping areas. Visitors come to Columbus Circle with different purposes and from different locations. The colors also show that the New York City is mixed of different cultures and people.

 Artemis, Acrobats, Divas and Dancers, 2001 by Nancy Spero

            

            

 Along with platform walls on the 1 train at 66^th Street – Lincoln Center station, there are several murals with beautiful color mosaic for Uptown and Downtown both bounds. The 22 series of murals are made with brilliant colorful glass and ceramic and dimensions are variable by Nancy Spero. This station is connected to Lincoln Center, which is home of opera, ballet, classical music and other performing arts in New York. Artistic characters of Lincoln Center are depicted with the mural on 66^th station. The central icon of the murals is the Diva with gold and red mosaic, and the Diva is repeated in various forms with other characters such as musicians, athletes and mythical creatures. Those images on the murals make the station to a energetic place, and represent the feeling of the neighborhood, which is dynamic and artistic. Visitors at 66^th street can feel the neighborhood with the murals when they get off a train to visit the Lincoln Center. Because background color of the mural is neutral, movements and colors of the characters are embossed. Spero wants to convey narrative stories through these powerful movements on murals.  “They occur and re-occur. The musicians can be playing or dancing, either for a melancholy or happy occasion, and in a procession. I do a lot of storytelling, but it’s without a real narrative.[1]”

---

[1] Nancy Spero: Art as a Continuum, art21, http://www.art21.org/texts/nancy-spero/interview-nancy-spero-art-as-a-continuum.