October 6th through 19th 2025
Grand Central Station, New York City

Dear New York was a site-specific temporary art installation created, funded, and produced by Stanton in October of 2025. The installation transformed New York City’s iconic Grand Central Station into a celebration of the diversity and humanity of NYC. As part of Dear New York, All of Grand Central’s advertising—with a face value of nearly $3 million dollars—was removed from the building and replaced with portraits and stories from the Humans of New York collection. 

Dear New York was created by a dedicated team of over 100 people, and made possible through a series of unprecedented approvals and permissions from The Metropolitan Transit Authority, Metro North Railroad, and the State Historical Protection Office. It was created in partnership with the MTA, The Juilliard School, NYC Public Schools, Pentagram Design, and Korin Studios. Designed to be representative and participatory, Dear New York incorporated the work of over 1000 local artists.

In the historic main concourse, fifty-foot projections immersed visitors in vignettes from Humans of New York.

In the historic main concourse, fifty-foot projections immersed visitors in vignettes from Humans of New York.

Below ground, all three levels of Grand Central’s Subway Station were transformed into an immersive experience designed by Andrea Trabucco-Campos, partner at Pentagram Design. It was the largest single-site activation in the history of the system.

Below ground, all three levels of Grand Central’s Subway Station were transformed into an immersive experience designed by Andrea Trabucco-Campos, partner at Pentagram Design. It was the largest single-site activation in the history of the system.

Musical accompaniment was provided by the Juilliard School on a Steinway Model D Concert Grand Piano. In the evening hours, the Steinway was made available to all New York musicians through an open call process.

Musical accompaniment was provided by the Juilliard School on a Steinway Model D Concert Grand Piano. In the evening hours, the Steinway was made available to all New York musicians through an open call process.

150 digital screens, normally reserved for a mixture of advertisements and MTA service announcements, ran a choreographed loop of video portraits.

150 digital screens, normally reserved for a mixture of advertisements and MTA service announcements, ran a choreographed loop of video portraits.

In Grand Central’s iconic Vanderbilt Hall, a blended photography-exhibition designed by David Korin displayed the work of six-hundred student artists alongside the work of eleven established NYC artists, including street photography legend Jamel Shab

In Grand Central’s iconic Vanderbilt Hall, a blended photography-exhibition designed by David Korin displayed the work of six-hundred student artists alongside the work of eleven established NYC artists, including street photography legend Jamel Shabazz.

Zohran Mamdani greets the student artists while touring the exhibition.

Zohran Mamdani greets the student artists while touring the exhibition.

On Saturday October 11th, the entire Vanderbilt Hall exhibit was deconstructed, moved, and reassembled to make way for a prescheduled wedding, which, of course, became part of Dear New York.

On Saturday October 11th, the entire Vanderbilt Hall exhibit was deconstructed, moved, and reassembled to make way for a prescheduled wedding, which, of course, became part of Dear New York.

On the final evening, a closing ceremony featured an original performance by hundreds of children from the Young People’s Choir of New York City.

On the final evening, a closing ceremony featured an original performance by hundreds of children from the Young People’s Choir of New York City.

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