A nude woman leans against a boulder 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 art photograph is warm hued with hints of cool highlights.
Composition
The 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 rock, and the flat sky. The image is comprised of smooth tones with only vague edges and imprecise details.
The nude woman looks upward, eyebrows lifted. Her head is slightly raised, and we see under her chin and nose. What has captured her attention is unclear from the context.
Theme
The scene blends two worlds, that of the skyscrapers and the natural elements of the stone and foliage. The figure resides between the two worlds, as a human animal. We are unique in our ability to leverage our biology to drastically transform the world around us. These modifications to our environment allow us to magnify our animal traits, enabling us to create our nest, attract a mate, or shelter from the elements.
Inspiration
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 woman in the city near ground level. Compare this photograph to a skyline nude.
