I notice the glossy finish and a white frame around the work, and realize that I am looking at a photograph. My eye is drawn to the expected colorful graffiti art on the subway car. On the car itself I see a scene of another silver train with sparkling light beaming off of the metal. It is visually stimulating, not boring, but pleasant to look at. Quickly after my eye goes to the center of the photo and another layer deeper. A suited man, sitting on the train reads a paper, seemingly undisturbed or startled by the graffiti. Perhaps he is on his way to or from the office. The older man is accustomed to the art—whether he has a liking for it or not. I appreciate the mix of mediums of graffiti and film incorporated into this work. It took two different artists to capture this frozen-in-time piece.
The layers and depth of the photograph make the image intriguing to the viewer. There is more than just the art on the metal, and more than just a man reading The Daily News. The smooth metal on the train contrasts the rougher, cloth texture of the man and his grey suit. The juxtaposition of the two create a brand new piece of art, one that requires even deeper thinking.
Putting the observances of the colorful train and the man with the newspaper together makes me ponder about the photographer’s intentions when taking this shot. Maybe the artist wanted to portray the graffiti as harmless to the commuter who is using and viewing the train. To me, this train does indeed appear as innocent, maybe even playful and entertaining.