155th Street and Frederick Douglass Boulevard, Manhattan 1990

"155th Street and Frederick Douglass Boulevard, Manhattan" (1990) is a black and white photograph by Madoka Takagi that captures a starkly beautiful and subtly urban scene in New York City. The image focuses on a set of stairs, leading up to an elevated train station. The stairs are intricately detailed, framed by the skeletal structure of the railway, and further emphasized by the contrast of light and shadow. The image was likely captured with a large format camera and printed in a traditional darkroom, giving it a classic, documentary feel. The "Public Enemy" posters in the foreground add a layer of social commentary, hinting at the artist's interest in urban life and its complexities.