NEW YORK--You could mistake it for a typical New York City phone booth. But instead of an image of a phone, the side panels depict folded hands -- and the word "prayer" instead of "telephone."

Oh, and there's a flip-down kneeler.

The Public Prayer Booth was conceived by Dylan Mortimer, a recent graduate of New York's School of Visual Arts who lives in Kansas City.

The public installation is sponsored by the city's Arts in the Park program.

A pair of the booths can be found near the entrance to the Roosevelt Island tram in midtown Manhattan until Dec. 7.

"I wanted to spark dialogue about prayer," the 29-year-old artist said Tuesday. "I wanted to jump-start a conversation about a difficult subject to deal with."

The public feedback has generally been positive, he said. "Some people will use them sincerely, others jokingly, some are offended."

Jackson, Tenn., and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, also have Mortimer Prayer Booths.