Sixth Avenue and Thirtieth Street 1908

John Sloan made this print, Sixth Avenue and Thirtieth Street, with lithographic crayon and transfer paper. I can almost see him there, drawing on the stone, working the image in reverse – it’s like time travel, right? I wonder what it was like for Sloan to be on that busy street corner, to be surrounded by all those people. I can feel the energy of the city, the hustle and bustle, the mix of different people and classes – and maybe, even a little judgement. I notice a woman who seems to be at the center of the image, standing out with her hat and dress. But then there's a child in a wheelchair, tucked in the lower right corner. Looking at it, I’m reminded of Daumier's prints. Maybe there’s a connection, maybe not, but it feels like there’s a history there, a conversation across time and different mediums, about how we see and represent each other. For me, art is not about answers, it's about questions.