Eujue Replaces Missing Subway Tile with Moss-Covered Ceramic E at Delancey-Essex Station

Korean-American artist Eujue, known online as Eu Pottery, has created a moss-covered ceramic tile to replace a missing letter in the New York City subway. The original "E" in the Delancey-Essex Street station's tiled wall in Manhattan was absent, and Eujue crafted a replacement using chia seeds grown on a handmade ceramic tile. A video shared on Instagram documents the process, from preparing the letter to installing it in the station. The finished piece, with its thick green moss, contrasts sharply with the surrounding concrete, steel, and tile. The intervention caught the attention of Mayor Zohran Mamdani's team, who reached out to express their appreciation and invited Eujue to share further ideas. In response, the artist launched NYC Tile Watch, a website where the public can submit photos of missing tiles across New York, aiming to fill them with nature-oriented solutions. Eujue's broader practice explores the intersection of plants and pottery, including projects with chia seeds on ceramic vessels and mushrooms breaking through sculptures. Her vision is to allow plants to reclaim spaces they've been pushed out of. The project demonstrates how small creative acts can transform everyday urban environments.