Robbers 1984

Hiro Yamagata made this print called "Robbers" with a tight, precise, and graphic style. What strikes me is how much the rain has a starring role; it pours down in almost straight lines, reflecting the electric lights of the signs and streets. It’s so stylized, yet it still feels like a memory of a rainy night in the city. The color scheme is restricted to blues and grays, with dashes of other hues from street signs and umbrellas. I love how the artist repeats motifs, like the little round umbrellas, or the insistent grid of cobblestones. Repetition creates a sense of rhythm and movement, like the rhythm of rain falling on the pavement. The feeling is almost cinematic, echoing other image-makers who are drawn to city streets. It brings to mind Saul Steinberg, or maybe even Edward Hopper. It’s a wonderful thing, being an artist, a perpetual and ongoing conversation with those who came before.