MTA subway art featured in new book called 'Contemporary Art Underground'
NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- MTA officials are celebrating the publication of a new book about art in the New York City subway system.
"Contemporary Art Underground" focuses specifically on the 103 new pieces of art completed since 2015.
When a major subway station is built or reconstructed, art is now a key part of the design process.
The goal is to help the station better engage and connect with its surroundings and the community it serves.
The MTA commissions the work, which is also in place in commuter railroads. Since 1985, the team has hand picked 400 permanent projects.
"We gave the artists one criteria, to create work that's about the place and speaks to the people using this place," said MTA Arts and Design Director Sandra Bloodworth.
The materials used in this very unique environment must be durable, and so the projects are made of glass, metal and mosaics.
Wednesday night, officials held a book party at the Grand Central Madison subway station, which recently marked its one-year anniversary.
On Thursday the book's authors were meeting with one of the artists in Lower Manhattan in front of an installation at WTC Cortlandt Station, which was rebuilt after 9/11.
They discussed that work of subway art and the history of art in the system.
As the system continues evolving, there is plenty of room for more.
All of this is of course to generate interest in the new book.
"Contemporary Art Underground" goes on sale April 24 through the New York Transit Museum.
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