April showers bring May flowers! Embrace the Spring season with our new exhibition on Bloomberg Connects, “Floral Muses.” Flowers, the timeless muse for artists of all media, are the subject of many artworks throughout the transit system. “Floral Muses” features a selection of artworks from our permanent collection which enliven the daily commute with flora year-round.

Images

1: Takayo Noda, “The Habitat for the Yellow Bird” (2007) at Sutter Av (L) station. 📸: Edward Lee

2: Antenna Design (Masamichi Udagawa + Sigi Moeslinger), “Bloemendaal” (2010) at 96 St (1,2,3) station. 📸: Jan Staller

3: Nancy Blum, “Floating Auriculas” (2007) at MNR Dobbs Ferry Station. 📸: MTA A&D

4: Portia Munson, “Gardens of Fort Hamilton Parkway Station” (2012) at Fort Hamilton Pkwy (D) station. 📸: Susan Alzner

In honor of National Bird Day, we’ve added a new exhibition to our guide on the Bloomberg Connects app! “Exploring the Birds in New York’s Underground Art Museum” highlights selections from our permanent and temporary art programs that draw visual inspiration from birds.

1: Walter Martin and Paloma Muñoz, “A Gathering” (2001), Canal St (A,C,E) station 📸: MTA A&D/Rob Wilson

2: Carson Fox, “Blue Sky Pursuit” (2009), LIRR Seaford station 📸: MTA A&D/Rob Wilson

3: Josée Bisaillon, “NYC View” (2022)

The subway is filled with timeless works of art, some newly commissioned and others dating back to the early days of our program. Take our self-guided tour “Selections from the Beginning 1986-1996 (1 line)” on the Bloomberg Connects app to explore artworks that built the foundation of our ever-growing collection. Beginning at Houston St (1) station with Deborah Brown’s mosaic artwork "Platform Diving" (1994), continue on the 1 line to see artworks by Lee Brozgol, Norman B Colp (accessible off the 1 at Times Sq-42 St, located in the passage near the A,C,E at 42 St-Port Authority), Liliana Porter, Nitza Tufiño, Michelle Greene, and Steve Wood.

While you may have seen Jane Dickson’s “Revelers” (2008) at Times Square-42 St station, (1,2,3,7,N,Q,R,W,S), the playful, life-size mosaic figures aren’t her only #MTAarts work celebrating this iconic New York City destination. Dickson’s 1991 poster commission highlights the color and mood of Times Square at night in her signature high-contrast, glowing style. Times Square, where the artist lived for nearly thirty years, has served as a major inspiration for Dickson, who regularly uses signage as subject matter to explore themes relating to the American urban landscape and psyche. Her recent works in this ongoing dialogue are on view in her solo exhibition “Promised Land” at Karma through October 28.

Discover more artworks at Times Sq-42 St station with our guide on Bloomberg Connects. Our self-guided tour “Explore Times Square” features Dickson’s “Revelers” and much more!

In dialogue with the iconic celestial ceiling of Grand Central Terminal, Ellen Driscoll’s “As Above, So Below” (1998) takes the viewer around the world to the night sky above five different continents, representing myths, civilization, heavens, and the underworld. These scenes bring to life ancient tales from a variety of cultures, grounding commuters with a sense of spirituality and shared history on their commute.

Continuing to work with the themes of interconnectedness and universal phenomena, Driscoll’s recent drawings grapple with the emotional and environmental toll of the climate crisis. Her solo exhibition “Mend” is on view at Planthouse Gallery through October 14.

Learn more about Driscoll’s work and the public art at Grand Central Terminal in our guide on the Bloomberg Connects app. Our self-guided tour “Explore Grand Central Terminal” will walk you through the amazing artworks to discover in the Metro North Railroad terminal.

The MTA Arts & Design digital guide is live and at your fingertips! #MTAArts is thrilled to join the incredible list of organizations featured on Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app. Download the Bloomberg Connects app and search for MTA Arts & Design to start planning your next adventure!