For Want of a Nail is a public art installation in the 81st St. subway station in NYC, right next to the American Museum of Natural History. Thematically related glass and ceramic mosaics, handmade ceramic relief tiles and granite floor tiles are installed throughout the station.
The artwork explores interconnectedness and causality in the universe, inspired by an old proverb from which it took its title:
For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of a rider the message was lost.
For want of a message the battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.
For Want of a Nail was a collaboration between MTA Arts for Transit and the American Museum of Natural History.
Department of Everyday Visualingual 