5 ms·

Hidden Masterpieces of the NYC Subway

95 points by presspot 8y ago

chiph 8y ago
That book would be an awesome source for a scavenger hunt.
alexharrisnyc 8y ago
I definitely thought this was going to be about graffiti.
- SpaceEncroacher 8y ago
  Same here, certain this was about graffiti
- c-smile 8y ago
  Or at least something similar to Moscow Metro by scale: https://www.cnn.com/style/article/moscow-metro-stations-david-burdeny/index.html https://www.cnn.com/style/article/moscow-metro-stations-davi...
saudioger 8y ago
Is there a specific reason old public works projects used to be a lot more elaborate aesthetically versus the "lowest bidder" approach they take today?
- jdross 8y ago
  In NY a lot of the public works from 1930-1960 was driven by Robert Moses, starting with his Jones beach projects. The Power Broker would be my recommended reading.
  - rst 8y ago
    On the surface, yes -- but Moses (for whatever reason) hated the subways, and was to some extent responsible for the neglect that made the system a wreck by the late '70s. (For those who have complaints about the way things are now, it was worse.) In any case, a lot of the subway art described here was from before the '30s -- many of the stations described are part of the original IRT line, which opened 1904.
    - bobthepanda 8y ago
      According to The Power Broker, Moses liked grand visions and held poor people in contempt, because he thought he knew what was good for them. Rehabilitating the subway is not a new, grand project. It also would‘ve primarily benefitted the poor people in a way contrary to his visions. Finally, it would‘ve competed for federal money with his precious highway projects since the federal government would be reluctant to allocate too much money to one region. So the subway had all the things going against it, in Moses‘ opinion.
- stevenwoo 8y ago
  If it was in the years between the Great Depression and World War 2, the Works Progress Administration that was part of the New Deal put people to work in building public works and art and teaching art, among other things. http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2018/01/16/wpa-us-infrastructure http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2018/01/16/wpa-us-infrastruct...
- ComradeTaco 8y ago
  The first reason is that contemporary trends in architecture tend to favor more utilitarian designs. The second reason is that public projects have a real problem trying to control labor costs during projects. The most artistic and aesthetically pleasing works of craftsman ship taking time and money public projects can't support right now.
- Spooky23 8y ago
  Labor was cheap and expendable. In NY, every minute you allow an employee near a ladder costs you money due to Workers Compensation costs.
Alex3917 8y ago
Tom Otterness, who made all the bronze sculptures in the 14th street & 8th ave station, first rose to fame with a performance art piece he did where he video taped himself adopting a dog and then shooting it in the head. If you think the way that startups market themselves is sometimes questionably ethical, in other industries it's apparently even crazier.
- jbarham 8y ago
  Reminds me of the performance artist Chris Burden who in 1971 had a friend shoot him in the arm with a .22 rifle. But at least he had the guts to have himself shot vs. a dog. In Docklands, Melbourne, there's a public sculpture that any normal child would think is a fun thing to climb (https://markstoner.com.au/projects/the-river-runs-through-it/ https://markstoner.com.au/projects/the-river-runs-through-it...). Naturally there are signs instructing parents to prevent their children from climbing the "sculptures"! All part of the long process of contemporary art becoming increasingly irrelevant to the public: https://www.commentarymagazine.com/articles/how-art-became-irrelevant/ https://www.commentarymagazine.com/articles/how-art-became-i...
- pvg 8y ago
  I doubt he really did it for to 'market himself' and as that, it's been spectacularly unsuccessful - the movie was forgotten until brought up relatively recently and then ended up costing him commissions, reputation, etc.
- flyGuyOnTheSly 8y ago
  Did animal cruelty laws not exist in the 70s?
  - mseebach 8y ago
    I'm pretty sure euthanizing a dog by gunshot (if done properly) has never legally been considered animal cruelty. It's very common in rural areas. There's something mildy shocking about the whole affair, especially the contrast with first adopting the dog, but I suspect that's the "art" bit.

95 points by presspot 8y ago

chiph 8y ago

That book would be an awesome source for a scavenger hunt.

alexharrisnyc 8y ago

I definitely thought this was going to be about graffiti.

SpaceEncroacher 8y ago
Same here, certain this was about graffiti
c-smile 8y ago
Or at least something similar to Moscow Metro by scale: https://www.cnn.com/style/article/moscow-metro-stations-david-burdeny/index.html https://www.cnn.com/style/article/moscow-metro-stations-davi...

saudioger 8y ago

Is there a specific reason old public works projects used to be a lot more elaborate aesthetically versus the "lowest bidder" approach they take today?

jdross 8y ago
In NY a lot of the public works from 1930-1960 was driven by Robert Moses, starting with his Jones beach projects. The Power Broker would be my recommended reading.
- rst 8y ago
  On the surface, yes -- but Moses (for whatever reason) hated the subways, and was to some extent responsible for the neglect that made the system a wreck by the late '70s. (For those who have complaints about the way things are now, it was worse.) In any case, a lot of the subway art described here was from before the '30s -- many of the stations described are part of the original IRT line, which opened 1904.
  - bobthepanda 8y ago
    According to The Power Broker, Moses liked grand visions and held poor people in contempt, because he thought he knew what was good for them. Rehabilitating the subway is not a new, grand project. It also would‘ve primarily benefitted the poor people in a way contrary to his visions. Finally, it would‘ve competed for federal money with his precious highway projects since the federal government would be reluctant to allocate too much money to one region. So the subway had all the things going against it, in Moses‘ opinion.
stevenwoo 8y ago
If it was in the years between the Great Depression and World War 2, the Works Progress Administration that was part of the New Deal put people to work in building public works and art and teaching art, among other things. http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2018/01/16/wpa-us-infrastructure http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2018/01/16/wpa-us-infrastruct...
ComradeTaco 8y ago
The first reason is that contemporary trends in architecture tend to favor more utilitarian designs. The second reason is that public projects have a real problem trying to control labor costs during projects. The most artistic and aesthetically pleasing works of craftsman ship taking time and money public projects can't support right now.
Spooky23 8y ago
Labor was cheap and expendable. In NY, every minute you allow an employee near a ladder costs you money due to Workers Compensation costs.

Alex3917 8y ago

Tom Otterness, who made all the bronze sculptures in the 14th street & 8th ave station, first rose to fame with a performance art piece he did where he video taped himself adopting a dog and then shooting it in the head. If you think the way that startups market themselves is sometimes questionably ethical, in other industries it's apparently even crazier.

jbarham 8y ago
Reminds me of the performance artist Chris Burden who in 1971 had a friend shoot him in the arm with a .22 rifle. But at least he had the guts to have himself shot vs. a dog. In Docklands, Melbourne, there's a public sculpture that any normal child would think is a fun thing to climb (https://markstoner.com.au/projects/the-river-runs-through-it/ https://markstoner.com.au/projects/the-river-runs-through-it...). Naturally there are signs instructing parents to prevent their children from climbing the "sculptures"! All part of the long process of contemporary art becoming increasingly irrelevant to the public: https://www.commentarymagazine.com/articles/how-art-became-irrelevant/ https://www.commentarymagazine.com/articles/how-art-became-i...
pvg 8y ago
I doubt he really did it for to 'market himself' and as that, it's been spectacularly unsuccessful - the movie was forgotten until brought up relatively recently and then ended up costing him commissions, reputation, etc.
flyGuyOnTheSly 8y ago
Did animal cruelty laws not exist in the 70s?
- mseebach 8y ago
  I'm pretty sure euthanizing a dog by gunshot (if done properly) has never legally been considered animal cruelty. It's very common in rural areas. There's something mildy shocking about the whole affair, especially the contrast with first adopting the dog, but I suspect that's the "art" bit.