Metropolitan 1995

Editor: So, we're looking at "Metropolitan" by Mark Kostabi, painted in 1995. It seems to be acrylic on… something, probably canvas. The mood is kind of eerie, wouldn’t you say? All these cool blues and purples... Almost voyeuristic. What do you make of it? Curator: Voyeuristic is a strong word… but not entirely inaccurate. Kostabi often played with this detached, observational stance. Think about how the figures are presented: almost mannequin-like, devoid of individualized features, set against this stark, stylized cityscape. I wonder if he's trying to convey the isolation inherent in modern metropolitan life? It's as if we are all players in this silent, somewhat absurd theater of urban existence, mirroring each other without ever truly connecting. What is reflected and what is observed? Do we reflect, in our lives, the cityscape outside? Do we connect through simple, possibly pointless, observation? Editor: I never thought about it that way. So the anonymity isn't a bug, it's a feature? Like, we're supposed to see ourselves in these figures? Curator: Precisely. And consider the palette - the intense blues contrasted with the warmer hues. This evokes a sense of unease and perhaps longing, mirroring our ambiguous relationship with the city. There is a city and also a stark, sparsely decorated apartment interior. There are relationships but perhaps only loneliness. Even the cityscape feels…impersonal, reduced to geometric forms. Are we really that alienated, despite being crammed together? Or are we creating a kind of postmodern connection through observation? Editor: Wow, I am so different about this painting than I did before! So much for 'just a painting'. It makes one reflect on living in a society of voyeurs who have perhaps have become so lost to the beauty of simple interaction. Thank you so much for providing such fascinating insight! Curator: My pleasure! It’s funny how much a change in perspective can enrich a piece.