Feedback on ArtTalk “City Lights—the Modern City how the Artist

I have a feeling your talk on Thursday is likely to remain in my mind each time a situation arises connected with cities and works of art of,or views of a bridge. On Thursday evening I was sitting on the roof terrace of the Maritim Hotel here in Cologne with long-awaited sunshine and splendid views of the Rhine AND the three bridges, the railway bridge,the Deutzer Brücke, the Severinsbrücke and the all-inclusive roof-top view of part of the city and the banks of the river. Rather a strange coincidence, ending the day with more bridges and a 2013 “cityscape” worthy of a work of art by the more accomplished. Timeline completed by sunshine and BBQ.

Today, we’ll consider various ways artists have dealt with the topic of the life and times in the city – from the hustle and bustle of the big city to the idyllic world of rural communities. A panorama of everyday life in America is optimally captured by the huge 84 piece mural “The Americans”, presented for the first time ever in its entirety, by artist and illustrator Saul Steinberg. A further selection of the museums´ paintings will augment Steinberg’s view of post-war urban America and provide food for thought on how city cultures have provided modern artists (and poets) with sources of inspiration and other relevant themes—like loneliness in the big city—since the industrialisation.