Under the Bridge 1946

Harry Shoulberg made this print, Under the Bridge, and it’s all about color and process. Look at the way he uses blues and purples to create this nighttime urban scene. The marks aren't trying to hide, they are out there, raw, like the art is a process in itself. I really love the texture here. The surfaces are rough, the colors are vibrant, almost like they're glowing. Shoulberg isn't trying to trick us into thinking this is a photograph. You can see the hand of the artist in every stroke, every choice of color. Take the sun, for instance. It's not just a yellow circle, but a swirling vortex of pigment, like the cosmos itself. Shoulberg's work reminds me a little of Milton Avery, especially in the way he simplifies forms and uses color to create atmosphere. Art isn’t about capturing reality but about creating new ways of seeing, thinking, and feeling.