Photographed in New York City’s Central Park on a Saturday morning. In the background, barely legible, is the sign atop Essex House, the 1931 luxury hotel. Rendered in near-monochrome, this New York City nude is warm hued with hints of cool highlights. This composition extends to the sides and bottom and is open on top where the sky fades to a very light tone. There are plenty of contrasting textures between the Midtown buildings’ geometry, the organic leaves, rough boulder, and the flat sky. The photograph is comprised of smooth tones with only vague edges and imprecise details.
The nude woman looks upward. Her head is tipped up and we see her under her chin and nose. Her eyes, too are lifted. What has captured her attention is unclear from the context.
The composition blends two worlds, that of the skyscrapers and the natural elements of the boulder and foliage. The figure resides between the two worlds, as a human animal. We are unique in that we have built on our innate genetic nature to drastically transform the world around us. These modifications to our environment allow us to magnify our animal traits whether they be to create our nest, attract a mate, or shelter from the elements.
New York is known around the world and many people have a personal connection to the metropolis. Whenever I visit Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens, I am inspired by the diversity of art available in the city. Although I have visited many times before, this New York City nude is from my first ever photo project in the city.
This black and white image shows a nude in the city near ground level. Compare this to a skyline nude.
