ThirstyFish

  Photo: S. Sims

Like Washington Square Park, Union Square is a gathering point for social and political activists and a meeting spot for numerous artists. Union Square was the site of the first Labor Day parade in 1882, and in honor of the occasion, it was named as a National Historic Landmark in 1997.

The cityscape was accepted as independent art genre in the 17th Century. It declined with the advent of photography, and further with the the popularity of abstract and conceptual art in early 20th Century. The end of the century saw a revival in the genre.

In cityscapes, photography challenges painting as a fine art form. But the technical and artistic limitations of photography, such as restricted dynamic range, undesirable obstructions and out of place crowds, disallows any real competition. A painter can control the light, ignore obstructions, and place people exactly where he or she wants them to be. On this bland and crowded summer afternoon at Union Square, the painter once again had the advantage over the photographer.

Song of the Day: Hot In The City - Billy Idol (1982)