Frederick Mershimer

“I wanted to capture the seedy quality of 42nd Street before Disney moved into the neighborhood. Many of the theaters were boarded up or had turned to porn, and the retail shops were not of the highest quality.” -Frederick Mershimer

Inspired by American prints from the early 1900s and by black and white movies, Mershimer employs mezzotint to create vivid depictions of modern-day New York City. In scale and ambition, this print is comparable to Earlom’s work (left), but instead of white-hot iron, here neon lights pierce the darkness. Dominated by buildings, Mershimer’s images-like Earlom’s-are rich in enigma and atmosphere. “Ultimately,” the artist states, “the subject is the mood.”