MTA Arts & Design

Flushing-Main Street

Ik-Joong Kang

Happy World, 1999

Ceramic tiles on mezzanine wall

Ik-Joong Kang's work expresses and celebrates Flushing, Queens, which is among the city's most ethnically diverse communities and home to a burgeoning Chinatown. Composed of over 2,000 unique ceramic tiles, the mural shows community events, city views, family gatherings, people at work, and children at play. "Happy World began when I was riding the subway every day. I was fascinated by the different people and things I saw, so I took small canvases with me and began to create the images that became the work. I hope these symbols... will make the tens of thousands of people who ride the 7 train every day talk about what they see and share their impressions."