Contemporary Art Underground: MTA Arts & Design New York

‘Contemporary Art Underground invites us to see extraordinary beauty in the mundane.’ – New York Times Book Review

A celebration of more than 100 major public art commissions throughout the New York transit system

Contemporary Art Underground presents more than 100 permanent projects completed between 2015 and 2023 by MTA Arts & Design. This ground-breaking program of site-specific projects by a broad spectrum of well-known and emerging contemporary artists has helped to create a sense of character and place at subway and commuter rail stations throughout the MTA system. Among the featured artists are Yayoi Kusama, Kiki Smith, Nick Cave, Ann Hamilton, Xenobia Bailey, Jim Hodges, Alex Katz, Sarah Sze, and Vik Muniz.

Of special interest is the discussion of fabricating and transposing the artist’s rendering or model into mosaic, glass, or metal, the materials that can survive in the transit environment. This is the definitive survey of the latest works of the internationally acclaimed MTA Arts & Design collection. On view 24 hours a day, the collection is seen by more than four million subway riders and commuters daily and has been hailed as ‘New York’s Underground Art Museum.’ The collection enlivens stations in all boroughs, with a myriad works by major contemporary artists executed in mosaic, glass, metal, and ceramic.

Sandra Bloodworth is director of MTA Arts & Design and the principal author of Along the Way and New York’s Underground Art Museum. Under her leadership, MTA Arts & Design has gained renown in the field of public transportation by creating a collection of nearly 400 public artworks. Bloodworth is the recipient of numerous awards including the Sloan Public Service Award and the Gari Melchers Award from the Artist’s Fellowship.

Cheryl Hageman is deputy director of MTA Arts & Design, responsible for commissioning new projects and maintaining the permanent art collection throughout the MTA system. She has applied an in-depth knowledge of materials and fabrication to produce and care for award-winning artworks during her two decades as an arts administrator.

Hilarie M. Sheets writes frequently on public art for the New York Times and the Art Newspaper.