The googly eyes have it.
A series of MTA safety campaign posters on a J train subway car have been decorated — or vandalized, depending on how you look at it — with sets of googly eyes that would be at home in a kindergarten craft supply closet.
to this anonymous subway vandal...thank you pic.twitter.com/jpOF06eDiY
— pasta enthusiast (@beninbushwick) December 19, 2016
The MTA's "See Something, Say Something" campaign encourages New Yorkers to report signs of potential danger on public transit — unattended packages, exposed wiring, "suspicious behavior" — to city employees.
The agency rolled out its most recent batch of anti-terrorism ads with the slogan "New Yorkers Keep New York Safe" in March. They feature the testimonials of 56 New Yorkers, including the now legendary Gregg T(urkin), who spotted something or someone suspicious and alerted MTA employees or police officers.
Are the googly eyes plastered on their printed faces on the J train a commentary on the "snitch culture" some say is propagated by community policing? Did the anonymous artist/vandal intend to capture the public's laughable powerlessness in the face of terrorism? Was it all just a silly gag?
The MTA had no answers or comment for us when we inquired, so we'll continue to ponder the meaning of this arts and crafts project by ourselves.
