monsters of new york city sneak up on unsuspecting subway riders

it’s not an exaggeration to say that the new york city subway might bring out the ‘monster’ in people, whether trains are grossly overcrowded, obnoxiously loud or emitting unsavory smells. despite the chaos, many passengers manage to remain ‘in their own world’, blocking out the elements by staring at their smartphones, listening to music or reading a book.

these two facets of city life come together for artist ben rubin’s series ‘subway doodle’ — a collection of quirky drawings that catalog the ‘invisible’, everyday creatures that lurk through the stations, and sit next to us in subway cars. 

rubin draws each of the characters on his iPad using the procreate app, simply sketching up behemoth beasts, gentle giants, and creepy clowns. the figures are carefully pictured in various subway scenes, peeking over peoples’ shoulders as they read a book, cuddling with them as they nap, and eerily looming nearby as they innocently gaze out the window. ‘subway doodle’ catalogs the time spent drawing on rubin’s daily commute, where he imagines the humorous and seamless integration of city ‘monsters’ riding the subway with the rest of us…

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