c. 1960-1978
Oil on black velvet
20" x 10"
Originally, I thought Sydna used chalk on this piece. But, upon closer inspection, I realized it was paint. This isn't the velvet Elvis kitsch of the 70s. It's soft strokes allow the black background to come through, while the more solid elements take advantage of the typical color 'pop' that velvet yields. And, Sydna's piece creates this balance between a lively and ominous scene - Gotham.
Writer/artist Frank Miller has stated, "Gotham City is New York at night." [1] Sydna's work represents the view one would have looking at mid-town Manhattan from across the East River. The skyscrapers remind the viewer of the Empire State and Chrysler buildings. The United Nations is represented at the water's edge with impressions of the Secretariat tower and the General Assembly dome. And, beyond the buildings, light pollution originates from the theater district and Times Square. Remember, this wasn't the pleasant, Disneyfied scene of Times Square today. The 1960s and 70s was an era of sleaze, grit, grime, and crime. Sydna artfully captured the excitement and danger in this, one of her most dramatic pieces - Nighttime Gotham.
See more Sydna city pieces in our Urban Collection.
And, in our shop you can buy a canvas reproduction or cool coffee mug.