‘I Love New York’​ ​design​ ​legend​ ​Milton Glaser brings new works to NYC subway stations

“I Love New York” design legend Milton Glaser will debut three new works this week in places that can always use more love: New York City subway stations. The three posters, according to Glaser, are a direct counterpoint to President Trump’s attack on humanity and reflect the designer’s commitment to justice using art and design to inspire social engagement. Milton’s signs join the School of Visual Arts’ enduring “Underground Images” ad campaign which has for the past half-century featured the work of a roster of A-list current and former design faculty including Ivan Chermayeff, Edel Rodriguez, Paula Scher and Tom Geismar in NYC subways. The series has challenged millions of New Yorkers to “think big, take chances and never stop learning. ”

In an accompanying video, Glaser reflects on his legendary career and shares the impetus behind his latest work: “I have an objective with these three posters—although it was implicit in all the other earlier posters—that is, the role of design and art are basically roles that also include social engagement. Not only personal vision or personal talent or personal insight or genius but also an activity that makes people feel that they are involved in something together. It’s kind of the counterpoint to Trumpism, which is “me for me,” and it’s a sense that we’re part of a larger system, humanity itself. These posters [go] one step further as the threat to that idea becomes more evident with Trumpism. You cannot say things directly in communication, you have to be oblique or enter into people’s consciousness sideways.”

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Images © Milton Glaser for SVA