Published by Chuck on 05 Sep 2006
Life Underground
New York’s landscape is littered with affirmations of the present social order. The ubiquitous advertising, the monumental skyscrapers, even the inexorable grid-like layout of the city; all this seems to say that power reigns comfortably in the Big Apple.
But occasionally one stumbles upon a clear sign of dissent or an indicator of a different possible life (and sometimes these are even sanctioned by municipal officials!). Tom Otterness’s installation in the 14th Street and 8th Avenue subway station is a delightful case in point. His “Life Underground” reveals a fanciful world populated by workers, police, immigrants, homeless men and women, as well as various identifiable and unidentifiable animal species. It depicts an urban reality of work, conflict, and adventure. It also suggests that hidden in the subway’s subterranean depths are beings that will ultimately devour the world of capital.
The photos below capture a small slice of Otterness’s handiwork.
