Mosaics were a major part of the New York City Subway when it first opened to the public in 1904. Although later design concepts have often opted for cheaper or more modern materials, Arts For Transit is making sure to keep the mosaic tradition alive by commissioning artists to create permanent mosaic installations for the subway. But, since these commissioned artists are usually not mosaicists themselves, they have to turn to an expert.
Stephen Miotto is one of the mosaic craftsmen who has been responsible for the creation and installation of many of the subway art mosaics. Like many other master mosaicists, Stephen has a special ability to interpret the unique and often complex visions of artists from all different disciplines. Here’s a look at some of Stephen’s best work.
treasures_116st
116th Street; Vincent Smith, Minton's Playhouse (uptown), The Movers and Shakers (downtown), 1999.
treasures_Ave-U
Aveune U; Jason Middlebrook, Brooklyn Seeds, 2011. Stephen working on Brooklyn Seeds at the top of stairs (Left). And the finished product… (Right).
treasures_AveMAveJ
Avenue M and Avenue J; Detail of Rita McDonald’s Hare Apparent at Miotto Mosaic Art Studios (Left). Detail of Rita McDonald’s Bire Laid Bare (Right). From Avenue M and Avenue J, respectively.
treasures_beal
Times Square-42nd Street; Jack Beal, The Return of Spring/The Onset of Winter, 2001/2005. Detail drawing made by Jack Beal (Left). Subsequent mosaic detail (Right).
treasures_Held
Lexington Avenue-53rd Street; Al Held, Passing Through, 2004.
treasures_JaneDickson_Time-Sq
Times Square-42nd Street; Jane Dickson, The Revelers, 2008.
treasures_Kushner
77th Street; Robert Kushner, 4 Seasons Seasoned, 2004.
treasures_Miotto-headshot-2
Stephen Miotto admiring his work on Jason Middlebrook’s Brooklyn Seeds (2011).
treasures_Miotto_28th-Street
28th Street; Mark Hadjipateras, City Dwellers (for Costas and Maro), 2002.
treasures_Miotto_Lawrence
Times Square-42nd Street; Jacob Lawrence, New York in Transit, 2001.
treasures_MurrayBlooming
59th Street/Lexington Avenue-59th Street; Elizabeth Murray, Blooming, 1996.
treasures_MurrayStream
23rd Street-Ely Avenue/Long Island City-Court Square; Elizabeth Murray, Stream, 2001.
treasures_tesserae
Loose tesserae (mosaic tiles) at Miotto Mosaic Art Studios.
treasures_Williams
Intervale Avenue; Michael Kelly Williams, El 2 and El 5, 1992.
