Photography: © Yayoi Kusama
Commuters in the Big Apple will soon be able to enjoy a bumper art offering on their way to work: Yayoi Kusama and Kiki Smith are creating huge site-specific murals for the new Grand Central Madison train hall.
The 700,000 sq ft train hall is under construction beneath Grand Central Terminal and is roughly the size of the Museum of Modern Art. The hall will connect the city’s Metro North service to the Land Island Rail Road – a huge canvas for Smith and Kusama, whose 2,400 sq ft floor-to-ceiling mosaics will cover part of the interior.
‘Whether it’s the constellation ceiling or the Tiffany clock or the statue of Mercury—the art and design make the terminal a true landmark and a destination,’ the MTA chair and chief executive Janno Lieber said in a statement. ‘The new LIRR Grand Central Madison facility below the existing terminal carries this tradition forward with art that elevates the travel experience and creates a sense of place. These 2,400 sq. ft of floor-to-ceiling mosaics are permanent gifts to the people of New York.’
The first elements of a three-part video and mosaic installation by the US artist Nick Cave were installed last year in the tunnel under 42nd Street, connecting Grand Central Terminal to Times Square. Grand Central Madison station is slated to open in December 2022.
