Despite the limited color palette and small size, McKean has found a wealth of inspiration in the 2x3 three pieces of plastic, transforming them into everything from bird nests to self portraits.

“Usually we swipe [MetroCards] in a hurry as we pass through the turnstile, hoping we haven’t missed the subway. Or dip them as we enter a bus, hoping there’s still enough money on them to pay for the ride,” McKean told Subway Art Blog. “But we barely notice them; they’re as omnipresent and invisible as pigeons. I stopped to look at them one day and haven’t looked back yet.”

New Yorkers were outraged last year when the city raised bus and subway fares. The hike included a $1 surcharge for each new MetroCard, hoping to encourage riders to refill their cards, thus reducing litter and cutting costs. The MTA spends $13 million to print cards each year, and that figure does not include the cost of cleaning up the cards discarded in the system.

Via Subway Art Blog