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2014 MTA Subway Poster

FEBRUARY 2, 2014
Final
When I visited NY as a student, I remember seeing all the beautiful subway art-cards and posters, I would look at them with dazed eyes and tell myself : one day. 

When Amy Hausmann, Deputy Director of MTA Arts for Transit and Urban Design, asked me if I would like to design one of the two 2014 NY Subway posters, I was beyond myself. 

Sketch
Finished Ink drawing

The Cloisters is one of my favorite places in New York. It’s proximity to the heart of New York city makes it surreal, the short train ride transforms mid-town skyscrapers to a medieval abbey like a time machine. To me, The Cloisters is the perfect subject for the poster theme: “Fantastic Ride of MTA”. The format of this piece was inspired by the beautiful Unicorn tapestry displaying in the museum. 

To make it more contemporary and further embrace the idea of time travel, modern visitors are venturing into the world where mythological creatures and medieval hunters exit. I also sneaked in many small details which I hope viewers will have fun discovering: such as a dog chasing a squirrel, a fat tourist family which the sons look like clones of the father, the kissing puppy lovers. etc

These posters are slowly being put up in stations around NY, it makes me really happy getting emails with photos of the poster in context and people telling me how the posters have enticed them to visit The Cloisters. This photo is  taken by friend and fellow illustrator Daniel Fishel.

Thank you all so much who came out during the snow for the MTA Arts for Transit talk at the Society of Illustrator last Saturday. Thank you Greg Ruth for recommending me to Amy. Last but not least, thank you Amy and Lydia for this great project and all the creative freedom any illustrator could ever wanted! 

© 2024 Victo Ngai