The (at least the older original) stations of the Moscow metro are likewise individual works of art. The pure plain utilitarianism of modern stations in NYC or the London Underground are sterile and boring in comparison.
I don't think "pure plain utilitarianism" is a fair description of the London underground as a whole. Even the Victoria Line made a point of doing a unique mosaic for each station; the Jubilee Line extension has a distinctive artistic style (which a lot of people hate, but you can't say they didn't try). Crossrail has put an even stronger emphasis on design.
Yeah it may be an overgeneralization, but from a recent trip nothing about the stations I visited particularly sticks out in my memory beyond concrete and plain tile.
