Percy – 68th St. 

Daniel Greene's painting captures a portrait of Percy against the backdrop of the 68th Street-Hunter College subway station, a space marked by repeated geometric tiles. Consider the mosaic—an art form with roots stretching back to ancient Mesopotamia and Greece. These early mosaics often bore symbolic weight: geometric patterns were believed to ward off evil, while figurative scenes conveyed mythological narratives. Greene's subway tiles, though functional, echo these historical precedents, reminding us that even the most mundane urban elements are steeped in cultural memory. The grid-like pattern might also conjure the psychological concept of the "mandala," a geometric configuration representing the cosmos. The subway, a space of constant movement and transition, mirrors this cosmic order, and the grid of tiles can evoke an underlying sense of structure and orientation. Just as the mandala is meant to inspire contemplation, the visual rhythm of the subway tiles invites viewers to consider their place within the city’s intricate network. The symbols are not merely decorative but emotionally powerful forces.