On any typical Wednesday, New York is a freak show on the subway, streets, in the corner deli. In a good way! This spooky time of year brings a larger allotment of costumes to the streets. Because it is Halloween, these alter egos also brings hidden fears and anxieties to the surface, revealing characters that lie deep within some people.

Only a few days before a US national election that feels pivotal and frightful to many, voters express fear and uncertainty toward both major candidates. In the wooly street art scene, symbols of the underworld reappear and linger year-round, waiting to be uncovered. Here, we present a collection of recent productions, large and small, peppered with quotes to celebrate Halloween.

“Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before.” – The Raven, Edgar Allen Poe

“Villainy wears many masks, none so dangerous as the mask of virtue.” – The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving

“Hell is empty and all the devils are here.” – The Tempest by William Shakespeare

“Even the air here seems to carry death, sweet and crisp and still.” – The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

“Ghosts are real, this much I know. There are things that tie them to a place, very much like we do.” – Crimson Peak by Guillermo del Toro and Matthew Robbins