Chrystal plaza in sunset 2019

Editor: We’re looking at Nick Alm's 2019 painting, "Chrystal Plaza in Sunset", rendered in oil. It has a muted palette, all gentle browns and grays, punctuated by a sort of copper-green dome, and figures are crowded at the bottom. The overall effect is a somber urban tableau, but I’m not quite sure what to make of it. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Well, let's start by considering the figures at the bottom, emerging almost like shadows from the foreground. Given the painting's date, 2019, and its focus on a public space, doesn’t this grouping evoke ideas of urban anxieties? Who is seen, and who remains invisible? Editor: I see what you mean. The people in the front seem to be looking towards the light and they are more detailed, but those at the back almost fade away. Is it possible to link that to issues of class or visibility in cities? Curator: Absolutely. The figures literally closest to the viewer have distinct faces; they are granted a certain humanity, and yet there's a large shadowy anonymous mass surrounding them. Consider the architectural structure as a symbol of power and capital, observing the people from above; Alm presents a study of contemporary society: the loneliness of being trapped in systems we have little to no power to modify. Editor: So the sunset isn't romantic; it is casting a rather dramatic shadow. Do you see any hope for change within this? Curator: I appreciate that reading. Art like this poses questions; it doesn't necessarily offer simple answers. It makes you think about how individuals relate to urban life, economic disparities and how they can shape one's existence. Editor: It gives the title "Chrystal Plaza in Sunset" a bit of an ironic touch, reflecting back on consumer culture in late-stage capitalism, right? Curator: Exactly. The title is not descriptive, but suggestive. What is real, and what is illusion, constructed by those with power? Editor: That makes sense. Thank you. I will definitely never look at cityscapes in quite the same way now.