Written by Elsa Brown: The elevators at the 181st Street and 190th Street A-train stops in Manhattan have a history as purveyors of community spirit. Norhattan describes how elevator operators at the stations took to personalizing their domains with family photos, images of revered musicians, and cut-outs of cute pets. Commuters who rode these elevators, “were experiencing a moving community collage.” Then, in 2001, the MTA ordered the assemblages be removed, deeming them a fire hazard.

The celebrated collages remain banned, but organizers recently brought a new kind of community art back to the station elevators, with hopes of rekindling some lost neighborhood pride. In each of six elevators, four artwork posters will be now displayed. Three will come from the collection of Arts for Transit, the MTA’s own subway art program. The fourth is to be selected by Artists Unite, a nonprofit group that formed around this issue, and will be created by a community artist. Although the collection may not recreate the original collages’ charm, it’s a sign of a community coming together to preserve one of the cherished quirks that make daily city life special. Click Read More for additional information.

PHOTO CREDIT

NORHATTAN
ARTS FOR TRANSIT
ARTISTS UNITE

DETROIT’S ICE HOUSE
IN A PERFECT WORLD
KUNTZEL + DEYGAS EXHIBITION PARIS

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