Harry Nugent, 1991
acrylic on canvas, 62” x 28”
Harry Nugent was not only the best-known conductor in the subway in 1991, he was also everyone’s favorite. He would often greet you when you stepped on the train with, “You are on the 1, the only one!” He would continue with witticisms, such as the one he used at the 66th Street subway when Kurt Masur was named director of the New York Philharmonic, “So now on a personal note, from one conductor to another, I’d like to wish great success to Kurt Masur in his new undertaking.” Harry was trained as an artist and brought his creativity to his job as a conductor. His charm and wit transformed the daily commute for westsiders and brought smiles to the faces of even the most jaded New Yorkers for over twenty years. If your train was stuck, which happened somewhat frequently in those days, he would say, “Someone once said that success is a journey and not a destination, and by that definition we’re eminently successful.” Harry Nugent retired in 1993.
acrylic on canvas, 62” x 28”
Harry Nugent was not only the best-known conductor in the subway in 1991, he was also everyone’s favorite. He would often greet you when you stepped on the train with, “You are on the 1, the only one!” He would continue with witticisms, such as the one he used at the 66th Street subway when Kurt Masur was named director of the New York Philharmonic, “So now on a personal note, from one conductor to another, I’d like to wish great success to Kurt Masur in his new undertaking.” Harry was trained as an artist and brought his creativity to his job as a conductor. His charm and wit transformed the daily commute for westsiders and brought smiles to the faces of even the most jaded New Yorkers for over twenty years. If your train was stuck, which happened somewhat frequently in those days, he would say, “Someone once said that success is a journey and not a destination, and by that definition we’re eminently successful.” Harry Nugent retired in 1993.