Multi Disciplinary Arts: Moynihan Train Hall by Stan Douglas, Elmgreen & Dragset & Kehinde Wiley (Public Art Fund 2021)

A look at Moynihan Train Hall, a reimagined public space and a source of civic pride to New Yorkers, and works commissioned for the site by New York State in partnership with Public Art Fund. Artworks featured include photographic panels in the Ticketed Waiting Room by Stan Douglas, as well as ceiling installations by Kehinde Wiley, and by artist duo Elmgreen & Dragset. Stan Douglas has mined the history of the original Penn Station, giving heroic pictorial life to narratives from different moments in time using today’s most advanced digital technologies. Elmgreen & Dragset have dreamed an imaginary global metropolis into sculptural being, upside down, radiating the city’s irresistible urban energy. Using illuminated stained glass and inspired by classical frescoed ceilings, Kehinde Wiley has adapted the movements of breakdance—a form originated on the streets of the Bronx—into a lyrical allegory of dynamic human expression. Characterized by daring juxtapositions of old and new, these commissions are emblematic of the constant states of innovation and transformation which are quintessentially New York. They are captivating and powerful in different ways, each inspired by New York’s rich heritage, its diverse and talented people, and its creative spirit. Together, they give dazzling artistic definition to the generous, civic character of Moynihan Train Hall.