Daily News from New York, New York • 592

BSI 20 SIL s. XI rF daily news sU i Tit August 21, 1988 Mi si ijv. -1 Lr.x 1 i r-? I 11 i i it 3 s-. fcVW Jf v. lv -ri.

I ill it TfffiiiWffiiffiniriWfl-i hi in Hi' "i l'i mmu iinaiiniiTiWi rliitfiiuv riMMfTilaii ii'iTiMiThTiiwiiiiiwTiftMfrwT "Ti i Tintfrr rtir iinTihii-1 1 mr mm in-i wiimmnr tt-' iTrni'fiiiY'i-r-iri-n-n-rrrt ARTWO RK is affixed to walls at upper level of the Broadsway-Laf ayette Siauon in SoHo as part of the MTA's Creative Stations MISHA ERWITT DAILY NEWS program. irMra TO By JOAN SHEPARD companies to donate materials. A New Jersey plastic company, CYRO Industries, responded and donated acrylic sheeting to protect the artwork. "I used to live in Manhattan," said Richard Gorman, public affairs director for Cyro Industries. "We were happy to do something which will make the subway station better.

It is not frivolous." One of the things that all of the subway artwork has in common is color and beautiful materials. In Brooklyn, at the Stillwell Ave. station, subway riders see huge blue waves of water. In Manhattan, riders can see elegant bronze work at the 137th St station. 'A good feeling "The subway is an ugly, repressive place," said artist Nina Yankowitz, whose colorful ceramic tile work will be installed in the underpass at 51st St and Lexington Ave.

this summer. "I am trying to make the space feel wider. I want to create a good feeling." In Queens, John Cavanagh has installed a mural with a complex design in which the station stop, "Woodside," is spelled out At the Westchester Square Station in the Bronx it will soon be possible to see artwork by the late Romare Bear-den, one of America's greatest artists whose work is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art Ceramic murals The most spectacular station is As-! tor Place where one enters the station nowned graphic artist Milton Glaser designed as a gift six ceramic murals. The Astor Place work was done under the Adopt-A-Station program sponsored by the Astor Place Committee, which includes Cooper Union, Astor Wines, the Astor Foundation, American Express, and the Schieffe-lin and Summerset Co. which has been in the area for 200 years.

These corporations and the Astor Foundation put up cash for the project "The kiosk is the miracle of Astor Place," said Letty Simon, executive director of the Astor Place Committee. "It was always a dream but there was actually money left over in the MTA station budget, so we got the kiosk." In one case, subway art has improved a few young lives. Former high school dropouts at Grovesnor House, a settlement house at 105th St. and Amsterdam are making tiles for a station at 86th St and Broadway. "Three of them are now studying graphic arts," said executive director Stephanie Pinder.

"This project gives them a reason for education. And they can't wait for these tiles to be installed," said Pinder. "I hope one day we can run special train tours for the public," said Wendy Fuerer, director of Art for Transit "In May, the MTA is going to conduct a tour for members of the American Institute of Architects who will be here for their convention." The public response to the artwork cent for Art; Adopt-A-Station; and Exhibition Centers. So far, the MTA has spent close to $1 million for design, materials and installation of original art work. In the Percent for Art program, 1 of the renovation or construction budget is allotted for artwork.

The very first artist chosen in 1985 by the MTA was Houston Conwill whose elegant bronzework is at 125th St and Lexington Ave. "The response has been great," he said, "the comun-ity feels this is its station." Conwill said being the first artist wasnt easy. "The MTA had the idea but not the forms," he said. "So I had to use regular contractor forms which were four and five pages long. And it took a long time to get paid." Jury selections In the Creative Stations program, the MTA invites nonprofit community-based groups to submit proposals and a jury of community people and organizations selects the artists.

The MTA provides up to $5,000, which must be matched by sponsoring organizations in cash, materials, or services. Artmakers, a Manhattan nonprofit art group, was chosen as the sponsor in the Creative Stations program for the Broadway-Lafayette Station in SoHo. About 100 artists submitted ideas to Artmakers. The jury included several well known downtown art groups, including Art Against Apartheid; Museum of Contemporary Hispanic Art and Lower East Side Print Shop. htannacan Cutuira Arairs Eaur The city has hundreds of art galleries all over town that cater to those with green bucks and gold credit cards.

But the newest galleries in town are literally for the people the straphangers the millions of people who ride the subway. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has undertaken a major art installation program, Arts For Transit, in subway stations in all boroughs in newly renovated stations and the program provides income for artists and underscores the city's commitment to public art. Flight stations in three boroughs have now been completed with many more due to come on line. Art is not new Ronay Menschel, MTA board member and one of the founders of the subway art program, said that art is not new to the system. "Eighty years ago," she explained, "the original subway builders said there should be something to uplift the spirits of the The original system had extensive pictorial work done in ceramic tile.

In fact, the ceramics on the No. 1 line at the Columbus Circle station is of such quality that the station was land-marked by the city. But the Art For Transit program is more extensive and expressive because the work is being done by dozens of individual artists with different ideas. Four plans' Materials donated tyia a cast iron kiosk, a reproduction ofz.bas been excellent, There.has been no ja -19tb century original made by Rob-4 vandalism. AlabamaiPriginareV'The community protects the Tamic tiles were restored and the re- work," said Conwill.

The art program is executed under four banners: Creative" Stations; Petf- 1 "Artmakers is a cash poor-group, so it matched the MTA money by getting.