By Edward Phelps – Oil on masonite.

1960 would change American film forever, and the revolution would occur nowhere near a Hollywood set. With the opening of the New Yorker Theater, a cinema located at the heart of Manhattan’s Upper West Side, cutting-edge films from around the world were screened for an eager audience, including the city’s most influential producers, directors, critics, and writers. Woody Allen, Martin Scorsese, Susan Sontag, Andrew Sarris, and Pauline Kael, among many others, would make the New Yorker their home, trusting in the owners’ impeccable taste and incorporating much of what they viewed into their work.

I did a series of paintings right before the New Yorker was torn down, with the intent of recording what for me was a treasure trove of rich cinematic experiences. Recently, to my surprise, one of my high school buddies posted the painting of the facade on Facebook. I got recognition from the Society of illustrators for my paintings.

I hope it sparks fond memories for those who were there, and those who see the painting now.

Be Sociable, Share!

•