The subway as muse? It is for the artists in a Brooklyn group exhibiton

No one thinks the subway is picturesque by any stretch of the imagination, though it's grittiness has attracted people from around the world. For the most part, the subway is practically the only part of the city that hasn't been gentrified, given the rats and petrified chewing gum, which is probably why artists are attracted to it. As if to prove the point, BuskNY, a subway arts advocacy group, has organized a group exhibition of artworks related to the subway. Titled "SHOWTIME: Underground Arts," the exhibit has its opening tonight at Armature Art Space in Brooklyn from 7–11pm and runs until Oct 12. 

Featuring 15 artists working in different mediums, "SHOWTIME" is part of BuskNY's outreach campaign to inform the public about the unlawful ticketing, harassment and ejection of artists and performers in the subway—a trend that's accelerated since the return of Police Commissioner Bill Bratton and his "Broken Windows" philosophy of law enforcement.

According to BuskNY, "public performance is a vibrant and celebrated part of artistic life" and it's certainly the case that New York simply wouldn't be New York without crazy stuff happening in the subway, including all of the artists working underground. Thanks to "SHOWTIME," that energy is being brought above ground.