Kinda Interesting Things #118: “At The Start… At Long Last” — an art installation by Sheila Levrant de Bretteville If you take the A train at the northern terminus at 207th Street, you’ll come across “At The Start… At Long Last” an art installation by Sheila Levrant de Bretteville. Commissioned by the Arts for Transit program in 1999, this art installation at the Inwood-207th Street subway station consists of several elements: First there’s this sign on the floor, at the entrance to the station, that either welcomes passengers who are “at the start” of their commute, or who — “at long last” — have arrived home from a hard day’s work. On the walls of the station, you’ll find “at the start” and “at long last” in large, metallic silver Murano mosaics. Trailing off the ellipses, and printed on 207 white ceramic tiles around the station, you’ll find quotes from the neighborhood’s residents that reflect the experience of immigrants and transplants in NYC, which De Bretteville gathered over months of research. Finally, on the mezzanine, you’ll find these jazz-influenced motifs of the letter A on the floor, and the lyrics to the famous song “Take The A Train” etched into the railing of the mezzanine balcony. Sources: “At the Start... At Long Last” (MTA, 1999) “Sheila Levrant de Bretteville” (Bomb Magazine, 2001) “Sketchbook: Sheila Levrant de Bretteville ’62” (Barnard College, 2021) “Interview: Graphic Designer, Artist, and Educator Shiela Levrant de Bretteville on Legacy” (Pin-up Magazine, 2021) #nyc #didyouknow #hiddengemsnyc #inwood #nycsubway #art secretnyc #hiddengems #fyi #mtaart #nycart #publicart #manhattan #nychistory #learnontiktok #mta #artsfortransit