Grand Central Station Unveils “Dear New York” Art Installation
In an unprecedented move, Grand Central Station is free of advertisements, showcasing only art for the first time in its history.
Photographer Brandon Stanton has transformed this iconic transportation hub into a massive two-week art exhibit called “Dear New York.” He has swapped out all commercial signage in the historic terminal, which has stood for 112 years, with striking portraits of New Yorkers accompanied by their personal narratives. Stanton has projected these 50-foot images onto the station’s marble walls.
“This represents the largest physical space dedicated to a single installation in the history of the New York subway system,” Stanton explained. The exhibit will be on display until October 19. “My goal was to recreate the essence of the city and its people within one building. That’s what I’m celebrating.”
Stanton is also the creative mind behind the well-known Humans of New York Instagram account, which inspired this exhibition.
After losing his job as a bond trader in Chicago in 2010, he relocated to New York with a camera and a vision—essentially, to document the stories of the city’s residents. “When I arrived in NYC, it felt like the whole world was here, with so many beliefs, cultures, and perspectives combined on the same sidewalks,” he noted.
Fifteen years later, Stanton has photographed over 10,000 people across all five boroughs, including a diverse range of individuals from go-go dancers to hedge fund managers and parents experiencing homelessness. His Instagram following has grown to 12 million, and he has published four best-selling books.
The latest book, also called “Dear New York,” acts as a record for this large-scale exhibition that features over 150 digital screens throughout the station.
The subway floors alone constitute 20% of this exhibition, marking it as the largest art installation by physical space in MTA history.
Initially, Stanton planned to showcase portraits taken by 300 children from New York City schools in a dedicated gallery. However, after receiving over 600 submissions, he decided to include everyone by adding a digital frame.
He expressed excitement when several school children came to take pictures with him during an interview. “I’ve been looking forward to this moment for ages,” Stanton shared, revealing that he financed the project using a book advance and his personal savings. “I felt like a guy with a wild dream to turn an entire building into art.”
This project marks a significant shift for Stanton, who has mostly worked alone; more than 100 individuals collaborated on this endeavor. Co-creative directors include David Collins, known for his work on “Hamilton,” and Andrea A. Trabucco-Campos from Pentagram Design, a prominent design firm.
Stanton emphasized the significance of keeping his name out of the exhibit. “The MTA mandates that brand names be displayed to identify who sponsors it,” he pointed out. “This is all about people and their stories. I don’t want to feel like I’m being marketed to here.”
Stanton has anchored his project in Grand Central, which he believes is one of the most densely populated locales on Earth.
The essence of both “Humans of New York” and “Dear New York” boils down to the same simple idea: capturing a photo of someone, asking them a few questions, and allowing them to share their stories.
This ethos mirrors a broader theme for Stanton and the Humans of New York project. He has never participated in sponsored posts, altered his approach to cater to social media algorithms, or compromised his authenticity for the sake of popularity.
“I came to New York to be an artist, not to build a large following or accumulate wealth,” he reflected. “Fifteen years on, I’m still doing what I set out to do. There’s real power in stories.”
