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When you are running late and waiting for the subway, you may find yourself praying for it to arrive quickly. Well, it looks like one subway rider has taken their plea for timely service to the next level by creating a cardboard subway shrine. This makeshift ode to the god Mercury was spotted by straphanger Russel Jacobs in the Utica Avenue A/C stop in Brooklyn.
Photograph by Russell Jacobs, @russ_owl
Jacobs tweeted, “Was thinking that I really need the train to come quickly and then saw that someone has installed a little cardboard shrine to Mercury, god of transit (?) in my subway station.” The subway is a the perfect place to find guerrilla art and fun pop-ups like this. The shrine features a sketch of the Roman god Mercury with winged feet, a winged hat and winged staff. Mercury is known as the god of luck, commerce, communication, among other things. The most appropriate for this application, Mercury is the patron of travelers. The altar of the shrine is strewn with an offering of yellow roses, red electric candles, a trio of dice, a miniature bridge and a Metrocard. Perhaps if you leave an offering, Mercury will smile upon you and your train will arrive on-time.
Photograph by Russell Jacobs, @russ_owl
The subway is full of weird and wonderful secrets! Discover more with Untapped New York on an upcoming virtual Underground Tour of the NYC subway!
Next, check out 20 of NYC’s Abandoned Subway Stations, Levels and Platforms and The Top 20 Secrets of the NYC Subway
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