What's the Deal With the Times Square Subway Poem?

Another reason the New York Daily News just keeps getting better (the first being its amazing election coverage): "The story behind the dark Times Square subway poem." Check out this investigative report from Keri Blankinger about Norman B. Colp's poem that lurks over commuters in Times Square subway station. More:

The poem was installed back in 1991, as part of a temporary art program started in the late 80s.

The MTA's whole arts program — formerly called Arts for Transit — was founded in 1985, at a time when long-term art installations were logistically difficult.

A number of the stations were scheduled for major renovations, so permanent art installations didn't make sense in many locations.

Looking for a way to install art more immediately, the MTA started a temporary arts program.

"It was called Creative Stations and we did five or six of those a year," Bloodworth said.

There was, of course, a selection process and artists would submit an idea and a suggested location and then a selection panel of arts professionals would pick which proposals to use. Each project had a non-profit sponsor — "A Commuter's Lament" was sponsored by the City University of New York.

Continue at NYDN.