Image: Nina Boesch via www.subwayartblog.com

Ubiquity has a funny way of figuring into art, particularly when it comes to art made from recycled materials. Whether overtly “eco-art” or something that falls into the “found art” category, the great over-abundance of any one material can inspire people to create.

In New York, sometimes it seems like everything is ubiquitous – people, taxis, skyscrapers, the list goes on. However, one thing that’s a true constant in the city is the subway. Since 1994, part of the New York subway experience has been the MetroCard – the slim little ticket to ride.

Image: Yana Paskova for The New York Times

The things are everywhere, which is no surprise considering how many people ride the subways and buses of the city on a daily basis. Recognized as a great way to “reach” the pubic, the tickets have been turned into officially sanctioned art, emblazoned with the word “optimism”by Reed Seifer for his “Project Optimism” in 2009.

More than 170 million tickets are printed every year, though, and they’re not particularly useful once they’ve lived out their days in the service of transit. More often than not, they end up in the trash or on sidewalks or littering New Yorker’s apartments, which has prompted several artists to reconsider their functionality all together.

Image: Nina Boesch via www.visuallingual.wordpress.com

Nina Boesch (above and top) drew the mosaic connection. Why smash tiles or glass when you can get used MetroCards for free?

Image: Thomas McKean via Inhabitat.com

Thomas McKean goes a more sculptural route.

Image: Stephen Shaheen via Inhabitat.com

Stephen Shaheen made a bench that’s eco-friendly, artistic and functional.

Image: Stephen Shaheen via Inhabitat.com

Reusing stuff, especially the mundane detritus of everyday life, is great. Transforming it into something beautiful is truly awesome.