Uptown traffic (1980)

Name: Uptown traffic (1980)
SKU: 6303
Price: 5000.00 EUR
Availability: InStock

5.000,00€ (VAT included)

Author: Elizabeth Lennard

Medium: Tirage argentique rehausse couleurs / Silver gelatin Hand-colored
Dimensions: 40x50cm, 15,7×19.7in
Edition: Piece unique edition varies 2/5 / Unique piece, varied edition 2/5
Reference: EL003

Description

Description

This artwork, titled Uptown Traffic (1980) by Elizabeth Lennard, is a hand-colored silver gelatin photograph that captures a vibrant and bustling New-York City Street scene. The image, measuring 15.7 by 19.7 inches, is part of a unique, varied edition (2/5) and showcases Lennard’s characteristic blend of photography and hand-coloring to bring a striking energy to the urban environment.

The photograph features a busy intersection filled with colorful vehicles—yellow taxis, red cars, and delivery trucks—congesting the streets in a vivid display of everyday life in the city. The bright, hand-colored tones applied to the cars create a sense of dynamism and movement, as if the traffic is frozen in time yet alive with activity. The hand-colored technique turns this otherwise mundane urban moment into something eye-catching and almost surreal.

In the background, the buildings are bathed in warm, golden hues, particularly a large office building that dominates the upper portion of the composition. The golden tint on the windows and structure contrasts sharply with the pastel pink and blue storefronts below, giving the impression of a sun-drenched afternoon. Signs for various businesses, including a liquor store and a bonsai shop, further ground the scene in a specific time and place, reflecting the vibrant commercial life of New York in the 1980s.

The meticulous hand-coloring adds a pop-art quality to the image, transforming a typical day of urban traffic into an explosion of color and form. The grid-like pattern of the buildings in the background mirrors the structured chaos of the vehicles below, creating a visual harmony despite the crowded, chaotic subject matter.

This piece reflects Lennard’s ability to find beauty and interest in the everyday. Through her unique use of color, she elevates a snapshot of New York City’s traffic into a striking and memorable work of art, full of life, energy, and the fast-paced rhythm of the urban experience.