For the first time in decades, New York City's iconic Grand Central Terminal has been completely cleared of advertisements, replaced by a massive photographic art installation called "Dear New York." Created by Brandon Stanton, the artist behind the renowned "Humans of New York" project, this unprecedented takeover transforms one of the world's busiest transportation hubs into what Stanton describes as "a love letter to the people of this city."
The installation features 50-foot-tall photographs and interview quotes projected onto the walls of the terminal's main concourse, known for its vaulted ceiling adorned with constellations that opened to the public in 1913. More than 150 digital screens throughout the terminal, which normally display advertisements and transit announcements, now showcase portraits of New Yorkers. Additional portraits have been pasted throughout the walls of the terminal's subway station, creating an immersive experience that engulfs visitors in the humanity of the city.
Stanton, who launched "Humans of New York" in 2010 as a portrait photography project, has spent 15 years documenting the lives of ordinary New Yorkers. What began as a simple blog featuring portraits and quotes from conversations with his subjects has grown into a global phenomenon, with his Instagram account now boasting 12.8 million followers. He has photographed approximately 10,000 New Yorkers and published four related books, expanding his project internationally over the years.
"I had 15 years of photos and stories of people from all over New York City," Stanton told ABC News. "And I thought to myself, 'You know, I could just about recreate the humanity of New York City in a single building.'" The artist explains that he took two years to cover every inch of the city, photographing and interviewing every type of person to create what he considers the definitive portrait of New York City using all his talents and skills.
Designer David Korins, who worked on Broadway productions including "Hamilton" and "Dear Evan Hansen," served as the installation's creative director of experience. Korins describes "Dear New York" as the city's largest public artwork since Christo and Jeanne-Claude's "The Gates," which filled Central Park with orange arches in 2005. "We've intentionally captured every single square inch of advertisement—plus much, much more surface area—not to bombard people, but to engulf them," Korins told ARTnews. "We want this to wash over you like a meditation. For some, it'll be a mirror; for others, a portal into deep empathy."
The installation, which runs through October 19, 2025, emerged from Stanton's new book of the same name. "Dear New York," the book, is a forthcoming nearly 500-page volume featuring New Yorkers' portraits and stories in the style of the original "Humans of New York" project. Remarkably, the money Stanton earned from the book funded the entire art installation, with any additional proceeds being donated to local charities. "So it's designed to be an artistic and financial gift to the city," Stanton explained.
During the installation's two-week run, Grand Central will feature additional programming including performances by students, faculty, and alumni from the prestigious Juilliard School, who will play a grand piano in the main concourse. A companion community art showcase is displayed in the station's Vanderbilt Hall, featuring works from local artists and more than 600 New York City public school students, further emphasizing the community-centered nature of the project.
Grand Central Terminal serves as a crucial transportation hub, connecting New York's subway and bus systems, the Long Island Rail Road, and the Metro-North Railroad. With approximately 750,000 people passing through daily, the location provides an ideal setting for Stanton's vision of creating "little intersections and interventions in the lives of the people streaming through." The artist hopes the installation will encourage both commuters and tourists to pause and reflect on their shared humanity.
"I can't change anyone's life, but if even one person pauses and feels something—connection, solitude, a thought they've never had before—that's my artistic goal," Stanton said. The installation represents the culmination of his 15-year journey documenting New York's diverse population, achieving his original goal of photographing 10,000 New Yorkers while creating an unprecedented artistic tribute to the city's residents in one of its most iconic locations.
