Port Authority Wall In Midtown To Transform Into Massive Gallery

MIDTOWN, NY — A new public art installation in the heart of midtown Manhattan is coming to the Port Authority Midtown Bus Terminal in the Garment District.

The 600-foot-wide outdoor gallery will feature more than 1,200 every day New Yorkers, the Garment District Alliance announced Thursday.

As part of the alliance's initiative, Inside Out: NY Together, starting Oct. 3, New Yorkers passing through the neighborhood can have their portraits taken, which will be printed in real-time and featured outside the Port Authority’s iconic, major transportation hub in the heart of midtown Manhattan.

“As we continue to welcome New Yorkers and visitors back to our city, we are so proud to launch Inside Out: NY Together in the Garment District to honor the strength and resiliency of New York City and celebrate the diversity of our communities,” said Barbara A. Blair, president of the Garment District Alliance. “This unique project will shine a spotlight on the amazing, everyday people of the Garment District and our city, who contribute to the iconic character, vibrancy and heartbeat that is felt all over the world. We encourage all to stop by, have your photo taken, and be a part of this truly special initiative.”

Over the course of five days, organizers said a photo booth truck will be situated on 40th Street between Eighth and Ninth avenues, inviting locals and visitors to have their photo taken. Those being featured and passersby can watch this gallery come to life, as the black and white portraits will be instantly printed onto individual, large-scale posters and adhered to the wall outside the Midtown Bus Terminal. The completed gallery – which is expected to feature more than 1,200 individuals – will be 40 feet high and 600 feet wide.

“Over the years, the Midtown Bus Terminal has featured the work of some of the world’s most dynamic artists, which has helped to revitalize the surrounding area,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “As the world’s busiest bus terminal, we are excited about this collaboration with the Garment District Alliance who will bring a new immersive and impactful art experience to commuters, the community, and tourists from around the world.”

The outdoor mural will fuse inspirational and dynamic public art into the exterior of the bus terminal in cooperation with the local community to dazzle both bus riders and local residents, according to Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton.

“We are thrilled to support this new block-long art exhibit enlivening the outside of the Midtown Bus Terminal. We commend the Garment District Alliance and its partners for bringing artistic inspiration to commuters and the surrounding neighborhood," he said.

Inside Out: NY Together is part of an international initiative created by Parisian artist JR that allows communities to make a public statement by turning their untold stories and what they stand for into a public work of art. Since its launch in 2011, more than 400,000 people in 138 countries have participated in Inside Out group actions.