We’d like to be the first to wish a happy 92nd birthday to artist Alex Katz, born on July 24, 1927 in New York City! We’re celebrating his newly installed artwork “Metropolitan Faces” at the 57th Street (F) station in Manhattan. “Metropolitan Faces” incorporates Katz’s iconic brightly colored and bold portraits and flowers rendered with an economy of detail in his signature style. Nineteen hand painted large glass panels (fabricated by Glasmaleri Peters) fill the station with light and color through the faces that reflect those of commuters, while his lush floral compositions are a nod to nearby Central Park. Commenting on the public permanent installation, the artist and subway rider said, “It is a privilege to make art for all people”. The lengthy station mezzanine, constructed in the late 1960’s, provides a unique setting within the subway system to see art. The series of paintings are set within cast stone panels that line the station walls, becoming part of the city’s art infrastructure.
