NYC's Second Avenue Subway Features Groundbreaking Mural Of Married Gay Couple

A mosaic mural of a married gay couple has made the much anticipated opening of the Second Avenue subway line in NYC a lot more impactful than you might think.

As of January 1, anyone passing through the 72nd Street station can get a glimpse of Brazilian artist Vik Muniz's "Perfect Strangers" collection.

Among Muniz's pieces — meant to represent the everyday New Yorker — will be a portrait of Thor Stockman, 60, and his husband Patrick Kellogg, 47. This is the first real showing of LGBTQ artwork in New York City that isn't somehow connected to politics.

"What makes it a turning point is it isn't gayness singled out and made the theme," said LGBTQ art expert Jonathan David Katz told the Associated Press. "On the contrary, the work naturalizes gayness within the fabric of the city, and in so doing, that's actually an even more powerful message."

Stockman and Kellogg were also extremely appreciative of being selected, as it provided an opportunity to represent the gay community in a light not typically seen on TV or in the movies.

"Our friends were happy that this is gay representation on the walls of New York City, but our friends were even happier that this is gay representation that is not incredibly beautiful and skinny," said Kellogg, with Stockman saying, "That they were just average-looking guys like us."

A lot can be said about the power of Muniz's mosaic. Though two men walking down the street hand-in-hand has become a relatively common sight here in the concrete jungle, this direct representation through public art is much more uncommon.

It's really great to see a celebration of "different" types of love with something that actually has a deeper meaning behind it.

Let's hope this is just the beginning of something that will encourage others to depict intimacy and relationships of any gender in many forms.

Citations: New subway station has public art rarely seen: A gay couple (Associated Press), Why This New York Subway Mural Of A Gay Couple Is So Important (Refinery29)