Untitled (New York at Night) c. 1910 - 1915

Vojtech Preissig made this print of New York at Night using etching. Just imagine him inking the plate, wiping it, and running it through the press. There's this gnarly tree taking up the whole left side, its branches reaching out like they're trying to grab something from the skyline. He's contrasted its organic shape with the geometric buildings in the background. You can see a hint of Hopper in the way Preissig’s captured the quiet loneliness of city life. I bet he was thinking about light, the way it bounces off buildings at night, the stories it tells. I find it interesting how artists from different backgrounds and times can be in dialogue with each other through their work. Their visions echo in a way that creates this weird conversation across decades. It’s as if artists, past and present, are having a big chat, riffing on the same themes, and inspiring each other’s creativity.