NYC artist replaces missing subway tile with chia sprouts art: Here’s how 'mayor Zohran Mamdani’s team responded'

Korean-American artist Eujue turned a missing NYC subway tile into an art intervention, catching mayor Zohran Mamdani's eye — here's what actually happened.

If you’ve ever taken the New York City subway, you know the vibe: missing tiles, peeling paint. But when NYC-based Korean-American ceramicist and designer Eujue noticed a gaping hole in the tilework at the city's Delancey Street/Essex Street station, she didn’t sigh and scroll past. She turned it into living art.

What began as one chia-covered tile became a social media craze — now sitting as an official proposal on mayor Zohran Mamdani’s desk. Here is how Eujue’s project, 'NYC Tile Watch', caught fire online, got City Hall's attention, and showed that guerilla art can make a difference to urban policy.

Part 1: 'Dear Mamdani, what if artists replaced missing subway tiles with art?'

Eujue explained her creative vision: "I've been obsessed with imagining a post-human and post-computer world where plants reclaim spaces that were once there. In the past, I grew chia seeds on top of a ceramic vessel, and grew mushrooms that seemingly 'burst out' of one of my vases."

This time, she took that concept to the subway. She crafted a ceramic 'E' tile by mixing chia seeds into wet clay, nurturing the piece until tiny green leaves sprouted across the capital letter. "This project makes me think: What if missing tiles don't become a maintenance request? What if they instead become tiny canvases for artists to fill?" she asked. "I might be biased, but I love the way that this 'E' looks. A couple weeks later, I returned to the same station and filled the missing tile with my piece. I think the subway got a little bit more alive," she added.

Closing out the video while standing on the station platform, Eujue issued an open call to fellow New Yorkers: “New York City, if you see any missing tiles, report it on my website. Submit a picture and tell me what you'd like to see. The link is in my bio. Signed with lots of hope.”

Part 2: 'Mamdani's team responded'

The clip exploded across social media overnight, amassing millions of likes and catching local news coverage. Just two days later, on September 23, Eujue posted a follow-up video to share news that felt straight out of a movie. "Y'all (you all), Mamdani's team responded," Eujue announced, pointing to a screenshot of an email message from the mayor's office on her screen. The email read: "We saw your video and really loved it."

"This is crazy," she said, flashing a massive smile to the camera. She paused to formally introduce herself to her audience: "By the way, hi, I’m Eujue. I’m a Korean-American ceramicist and designer based in New York. I share stories about my family, culture, and many other things."

Because of the massive internet turnout, Eujue was invited to officially engage with the administration: "You all showed up, and I got to submit a form as well as send in a proposal for artists to replace missing station tiles." She screen-recorded her laptop showing the officially submitted 'NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani new media intake form' alongside a formal program proposal titled 'NYC Tile Watch: Pilot Program Proposal'.

"Our project was also mentioned in the news," Eujue said, adding, "To make this real, NYC, I still need your help! If you’re an artist based in New York and interested in contributing to NYC Tile Watch, fill out the Google form in my bio. Your support helps show the team that this is an opportunity to seize."

Standing on the subway platform, she urged commuters: "Look up, look out, and report any missing or damaged tiles on my website." The video ended with Eujue showing her site's live reporting map — complete with crowdsourced logs from different stations — before offering a heartfelt sign-off: "I am so grateful for you guys. Thank you so much for your ongoing love, support, and participation. Let's go and do this thing!"

Art, social media and real-world impact

Social media art can seem like a viral trend, but Eujue's 'NYC Tile Watch' showed how civic engagement was changing. Public art used to take months or years of permits and committee approvals. By focusing on a real problem — crumbling subway tiles — and offering a handmade fix, Eujue turned her art into a way for people to take part in improving their city.

Eujue tagged mayor Zohran Mamdani directly — a mayor known for supporting grassroots ideas. Instead of punishing the guerrilla art, his office welcomed it as a creative way to turn city decay into a public art space.

Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.

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