Times Square, New York Possibly 1962 - 1997

Curator: Ernst Haas' "Times Square, New York" really captures the city's electric soul, doesn't it? Editor: It feels like a dream, blurry and bright. The water on the street, the neon glow—it's both beautiful and a little overwhelming. Curator: It's interesting how Haas uses that almost abstracted quality, rendering the signs as powerful cultural beacons, promising everything from dance to Argentinian cuisine. Editor: Yes, each sign is practically shouting! Neon has always represented modernity and the promise of better living. Here, they seem to drown the figures on the ground. Curator: Exactly! There's a palpable tension between the allure of consumerism and the anonymity of urban life. Almost a warning. Editor: True. The overall impression is one of constant motion and the search for meaning in a chaotic world. Curator: Ultimately, Haas shows us the beauty in that chaos. It's a fleeting, poignant image of a specific place and time. Editor: Well said. Now I see a bit of myself in the wet city street, searching for the sign.