Cityscape 1969

Editor: This print, "Cityscape" by José Tanig Joya, feels like a fragmented memory. The blocks of color and abstract shapes suggest a city, but it's all very dreamlike. What stands out to you in this piece? Curator: The abstraction is key. In the mid-20th century, artists often used abstraction to grapple with rapid urbanization and its effects on the human psyche. Does the cityscape feel optimistic or disorienting to you? Editor: I feel a little bit of both. The colors are vibrant, but the composition is so broken up. Curator: Exactly! This tension might reflect anxieties around urban development, or perhaps Joya is exploring how we make sense of the modern world through fragmented experiences. Editor: That’s a very interesting perspective. I hadn’t considered the social commentary. Thank you! Curator: My pleasure! Art offers a powerful lens through which to examine our history.