Tall Buildings, Downtown, New York 1915

Curator: John Marin’s watercolor and pencil drawing, “Tall Buildings, Downtown, New York,” created in 1915. What's your take on this piece, Editor? Editor: Oh, I love the way the buildings seem to shimmer. There’s an energy, an almost dizzying feeling of being in the middle of a bustling city. It's like looking at a watercolor mirage! Curator: Right, it does possess a kind of shimmering transience. Marin was interested in how modern architecture reshaped the urban landscape, especially with regards to industry and its effects on laborers. The quick, loose brushstrokes capture a sense of movement and change inherent in the rapid development of early 20th century New York. Editor: I get that sense of movement! It's as if the buildings themselves are breathing, like they're made of steam rather than stone. There is this looseness and freedom to it – that's a refreshing choice considering how imposing the subject, buildings, can feel! I’m curious about his technique...it appears raw. Curator: It’s rather straightforward. Look at how he lays down the watercolor, almost haphazardly in places, and reinforces those lines with pencil. He prioritizes the feeling of the city over precise detail, opting for this energetic, somewhat fragmented composition that suggests a city in constant flux. This style emphasizes his break from academic traditions and embrace of modernity through materials. Editor: I adore that it's not about perfect representation but about feeling. It's like Marin isn't just showing us buildings; he's letting us feel the city's pulse. Do you think he had a perspective or bias related to city planning, that maybe the pace of development concerned him? Curator: Perhaps! One could say it represents a certain optimism of American urbanism that discounts the negative aspects of factory life and working class residences. Still, Marin focused on portraying the energy and verticality of the burgeoning metropolis, contributing to a modernist vision deeply entwined with notions of progress and production. Editor: This makes me think about how we engage with cityscapes today and the human cost that many of these cities endured. Thanks for adding nuance to this piece. Curator: Thank you for sharing your perspective; it truly shows how one can look at a single drawing, even a relatively simple one, and extract vastly different, yet insightful, meanings.