A new glass mosaic in Grand Central offers a vibrant interpretation of New Yorkers’ journeys through the city. Unveiled on Monday by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), “Abstract Futures” spans 600 square feet at the 42nd Street/3rd Avenue entrance to the 7 train at Grand Central. Created by artist duo Sharmistha Ray and Dannielle Tegeder, the glass mosaic explores themes of “portals” and “journeys,” serving as a metaphor for the spiritual transformations many experience while navigating life in New York City.
Fabricated by Miotto Mosaic Art Studios, the installation marks the first public commission for Ray and Tegeder. The artists make up Hilma’s Ghost, a feminist collective they founded in the wake of the pandemic to celebrate underrepresented spiritual practices in art. Inspired by the revolutionary artist and mystic Hilma af Klint, the group uses ritual, magic, and collaborative artmaking to honor and elevate esoteric traditions.
For their first project as Hilma’s Ghost, the artist duo created a Tarot deck also titled “Abstract Futures,” now in its third circulation with nearly 1,500 decks. Historically, Tarot decks have been tied to gender binaries, and traditional decks have depicted a “monocultural perspective of race,” according to a press release.
The collective reimagined the major archetypes of “Abstract Futures” as unique symbols designed to be inclusive. The new mosaic builds on that same inclusive language, welcoming all who move through the five boroughs—whether they’re here for a day or a lifetime.
Using abstract symbols and vibrant colors, Hilma’s Ghost has crafted a fantastical urban landscape that imagines a future New York City on a spiritual plane. The mosaic is divided into three distinct sections, each representing a stage of the hero’s journey and the path of a commuter.
The first section, titled “The Fool,” is read from left to right and represents someone taking a big step by coming to NYC in search of something greater than themselves. Active reds, oranges, and pinks signify courage and passion, while a “central vertical funnel” channels energy upwards. The imagery reflects the power of creativity, vitality, and intuition as the traveller begins to tap into their inner wisdom and drive.
In the next segment, the traveler confronts challenges and transformation, ultimately achieving balance and spiritual renewal, colored by earthly greens, ochres, and browns. The central image, “The Wheel of Fortune,” suggests that “The Fool” has come down to earth to find themselves in an ever-turning wheel in a city where fortunes can rise and fall in just one day.
Finally, the traveler confronts their greatest internal struggles, ultimately gaining a deeper understanding of their true self. On the final and largest wall near the turnstiles, the mosaic portrays two realms of the spiritual and cosmological plane. The first is the moon, depicted as a crescent topped with a star. These symbols represent the shadow self, or parts an individual must navigate through to reach the light.
These purple and blue hues gradually fade into a “cosmic sunrise,” transitioning back to vibrant oranges and reds around the sun. Horizontal symbols evoke the wand in Tarot, representing the element of fire. In this final section, called “The World,” light returns, with symbols of regeneration and rebirth marking the beginning of the cycle once more.
With its inclusivity and abstraction, “Abstract Futures” creates a welcoming experience for people of all backgrounds, cultures, abilities, races, genders, and sexual orientations. It offers a fresh perspective on the city, portraying a journey that is both physical and spiritual.
“This mural represents a new way of seeing the city—a journey that is both physical and spiritual. It’s about the connection between people, spaces, and time, and intended to provide a powerful reflection of what New York represents to us all,” Tegeder and Ray said.
“The city is at once a sprawling metropolis with millions of people, but also a dynamic network of interconnectivity. As we make our way through a single day in New York, we connect with so many people from so many walks of life. The density of the mural’s imagery, pattern, and color is a metaphor for the endless diversity of the city that is its heartbeat. It is that diversity that is what makes New York so special.”
“Abstract Futures” is presented through MTA Arts & Design’s Percent for Art program, one of the largest and most diverse site-specific public art collections in the world. The program aims to encourage the use of public transportation through engaging visual and performing art installations.
“The artwork offers a reflective space for connection, transformation, and understanding,” Juliette Michaelson, interim director of MTA Arts & Design, said. “Customers entering Grand Central from the street or exiting from the Flushing line will encounter the work designed to honor the ebb and flow of New York’s diverse population and celebrate the resilience, grit, and ambition of the people who bring the city to life.”
In December 2022, the program unveiled permanent floor-to-ceiling mosaics in Grand Central Madison, created by renowned contemporary artists Yayoi Kusama and Kiki Smith. In May 2022, two mosaics by Nick Cave were installed at Times Square’s 42nd Street station, covering a total of 4,600 square feet of space with colorful art.
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