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A Secret Garden: There's No Place Like Home

233 St (2/5)

A Secret Garden: There's No Place Like Home

Skowmon Hastanan
Artwork in faceted glass by Skowmon Hastanan showing colorful flowers and fish.
“A Secret Garden: There's No Place Like Home” (2006) by Skowmon Hastanan at NYCT 233 St Station. Photo: Rob Wilson

About the Project

Through her faceted glass artwork, Skowmon Hastanan wove a variety of flowers and animal life into the station for the public to enjoy. Reflecting on the nearby New York Botanical Garden, images of fish, flowers, and greenery transform the station environment, providing commuters with a beautiful, luminous scene to contemplate. Skowmon created a sanctuary from the chaos and stress of daily life, providing a source of energy and rejuvenation in her detailed renderings in glass windows. 

About the Artist

Artist Skowmon Hastanan creates mixed media artwork focused on Diaspora experiences. Born in Thailand before settling in the Bronx, Hastanan approaches art as a combination of two cultures, addressing topics of: human trafficking, tourism, and immigration experiences. Hastanan also explores the nature of feminine identity using found images from magazines, stamp collections, historical objects, Eastern religious motifs, and classified advertisements. Hastanan holds a BFA from the School of Visual Arts and her work has been exhibited at the Bronx Museum, the Drawing Center, and the New Museum, among other venues.