Bergamo 1966

Curator: This intricate piece is entitled "Bergamo," a pen and ink drawing completed by Saul Steinberg in 1966. What are your first thoughts when you see this? Editor: A cityscape made of clouds, or perhaps a dreamscape. There’s a tension between the solid architecture at the bottom and the fleeting forms above that suggests to me a comment on permanence and change. Curator: I see that. The linework, though, gives even the clouds a structural quality. Steinberg often played with perspective and reality in his drawings; he kind of constructed his own visual language. Do you feel that the location is a real one? Editor: Well, the title references Bergamo, a city in Italy, but this drawing certainly isn't a straightforward depiction. The geometric buildings seem almost pasted on. And those script-like shapes? The "architecture" is deliberately unreal; they suggest a kind of playful defiance. Maybe the drawing is alluding to how architecture reinforces power structures but also can be destabilized by natural forces, represented by those dominating clouds. Curator: A fascinating point. The sky almost overwhelms the scene. For me it hints at inner weather. Maybe this location isn’t “real” geographically, but it sure rings true emotionally. Steinberg often injected subtle commentary into what seemed like simple drawings, and the almost oppressive weight of the sky definitely adds a layer. Editor: And consider the medium—simple pen and ink. It amplifies the message that something enormous is possible through such accessible means. There's beauty and, I think, quiet resistance in making a statement with such an ordinary method. Do you think the artist would support my point? Curator: Knowing Saul, he’d probably offer a mischievous grin and say, "Perhaps. Or perhaps it's just a drawing!" But seriously, yes. The deliberate, almost childlike quality is deceptively profound. He makes us question what we think we see and understand. It's a delightful paradox. Editor: Absolutely. So, it’s a space for contemplation and recognizing those everyday forms of protest and resistance, no matter how subtle they may seem at first. Curator: I think that's the beauty of it. Something as seemingly simple as this drawing opens up so many avenues for interpretation and self-reflection. I walk away feeling like a new me every time I gaze at it.