Excuse me, could you spare some inspiration?

JANE FREILICHER
Early New York Evening
1954
oil on linen
51 1/2 x 31 3/4 inches

Ok, so this painting to me has a lot to say and there is a number of different directions that one could take in approaching it.

 

1) Dynamic Stasis -

 

In another one of my classes this semester, we are reading 20th century Spanish poetry and one of the ideas that we have covered is this idea of dynamic stasis.  To put it as simply as possible, the term means that a person can be stationary while in motion.  This term can be understood a little better if you consider the idea of laziness.  Laziness infers that a person is simply sitting in the same place, day in and day out, and not having the motivation or drive to do anything.  This relates to dynamic stasis, however with dynamic stasis, the person is exactly where they want to be, and all the efforts they are making stem from that one anchored position.  

So to connect this idea to the painting, the plant in the foreground is representative of nature, of a certain kind of peace and a sense of relaxation.  At the same time though, there is a stark contrast in the background, all lights, buildings, and smog.  What this painting says to me, is that the artist is trying to convey a sense of balance while living in New York.  There is so much going on in the city and its so easy to get caught up in the fast-paced, American-dreamed, taxi-cab screaming launch into space.  But the artists says, peace my brothers and sisters, peace.  She places the plant in front and the city in back to show that above all else, one must remember nature in all the chaos of the streets.  Be in dynamic stasis, she seems to say.  Always consider first everything that we have come to know about nature, beauty, and life; and then, once this has been done, cross the threshold of your front door and walk out your door.  Always be at peace with yourself and your surroundings and from this anchor or these roots go forth and flourish.  

 

2) Contrast

 

While you can link the two elements of the painting to find a common purpose, you can also make the argument that the artist feels that there is a lack of connecion and that the two agendas do not meet.  Freilicher doesnt use the color green to paint any of New York so therefore you can say that there is no nature in New York.  All of the colors that are used to paint the background are dark, smoggy, and a little dismal looking.  Although, she does save it a little by having lighter colors towards the bottom of the skyline so you could say that Freilicher doesnt see it so much as gloomy and depressing but rather perhaps containing the potential for life or imporvement to which she suggests the plant in the foreground. 

 

What this painting offers is (and I've only covered a couple) are numerous ways to approach, think, and reinterpret the idea of New York.  For me, the poetry that would come of seeing this painting would stress the lack of connection between New York and Mother Nature.  While at the same time it would stress the desire to unify the two, to fuse them into a single idea of dynamic stasis.

 

A flower sits in stalemate fashion,
Blinded by the light of passion.

Yet lo' to creep down roots and gutters

To pierce into a road that stutters

 

-kinda thing? lol i dunno