Contemporary Art Underground

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.

'[One of] 2024’s top design titles . . . a celebration of more than 100 major public art commissions throughout the New York transit system.' – Metropolis‘Contemporary Art Underground invites us to see extraordinary beauty in the mundane.’ – New York Times Book Review‘The book highlights the scope of the last decade’s station renovations and service expansions, the diversity of the participating artists, and the agency’s embrace of mosaic, glass, and metal to make art compelling and durable enough to live in the nation’s busiest rapid transit system.' – Bloomberg CityLab‘Featuring more than 100 works completed between 2015 and 2023, the book highlights the scope of the last decade’s station renovations and service expansions, the diversity of the participating artists, and the agency’s embrace of mosaic, glass, and metal to make art compelling and durable enough to live in the nation’s busiest rapid transit system.’– Bloomberg CityLab‘More than 100 artworks large and small throughout the country’s busiest transit system star in an artful new tome that journeys across the five boroughs.’ – Surface‘It’s a love letter to public art and how New York City has brought exceptional expressions of the human spirit into its transit system. . . Contemporary Art Underground is a testament to the fact that art can be for everyone, and that municipalities that support public art are a boon for their communities.’ – New York Journal of Books‘Expect to find an eclectic and electrifying array of artists . . . celebrates a decade of projects.’ – The Globe and Mail Style Advisor‘Celebrates how MTA Art & Design builds a modern museum for New York City.’ – Colossal‘A wonderful journey into the possibilities of public art.’ – My Modern Met