The elevated train stations located in the Bronx inspired “The El.” Artist Daniel Hauben a Bronx resident, has always been drawn to and inspired by the sense of scale provided by these immense structures when contrasted with their neighborhood settings, and his scenes, translated into faceted glass mosaics, depict the unique character of the Bronx through composition, pattern, light, darkness, and movement through the canvas. Hauben commented, that as one "looks down a long street topped by the receding concentric pattern of the elevated structure, one has a feeling of both great depth and the sprawling vastness of the city."

Daniel Hauben was born, raised, and is still living in the Bronx. For more than 30 years he has been working on location in streets, in parks, from windows, and rooftops to paint the urban landscape. Hauben received a degree in Fine Arts from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. He is an eight -time recipient of the BRIO Award from The Bronx Council on the Arts, and has been awarded artistic residencies in Spain, Germany, Costa Rica, Virginia, Connecticut and California. Hauben has had over thirty national and international solo exhibitions including The Bronx Museum of the Arts and the American Embassy in Berlin. He has taught at the Pastel Society of America, the CUNY Graduate Center, the Art Students League, and currently teaches at the CCNY Spitzer School of Architecture. His public projects include a twenty-two painting commission for a (RAM Stern) library on the campus of Bronx Community College. His work is in corporate and public collections including The White House – Library of Congress – Museum of the City of NY – New York Historical Society – Harvard University – New York Public – Library – Zimmerli Art Museum.