Dear New York
Dear New York was a large-scale immersive art installation at New York City’s Grand Central Terminal created by American artist and photographer Brandon Stanton, founder of Humans of New York.
Background
Dear New York was a public art installation developed as a continuation of long-term documentary work in New York City conducted by Stanton over more than fifteen years. The project featured material from residents across the city, including photographic portraits and narratives of everyday urban life.It was created in collaboration with several New York City-based organizations in the fields of education, public infrastructure, and the arts.
The project was accompanied by a book, Dear New York, which compiled large number of photographic portraits and narratives collected during the project.
Installation
For a two-week period, Grand Central Terminal served as the site of the immersive installation. All commercial advertising within the terminal was removed, and digital screens throughout the terminal and its connected subway areas were replaced with photographic portraits and accompanying stories drawn from the Humans of New York collection.As part of the project, live musical performances were presented by students, alumni, and faculty from the Juilliard School, totaling over 100 hours and often centered on a grand piano placed in Grand Central Terminal’s Main Concourse. In conjunction with the musical program, a community art exhibition was installed in Vanderbilt Hall, featuring photography and visual works created by local artists and New York City public school students.
The installation included large-scale projections in the Main Concourse of Grand Central Terminal. These projections measured approximately 50 feet in height and displayed photographic works. Over 1,000 artists contributed to the initiative.
Photographs and corresponding text were also presented across both levels of the Grand Central subway station, extending the installation throughout the broader transit environment.