Over the last century, New York City has inspired (and also discouraged) countless artists. Frank Sinatra’s famous proclamation— if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere— comes to mind. So, it comes as no surprise that artists often use New York as a subject – whether to investigate its inner workings or marvel at its immensity and speed.
As homage to New York’s rich and tumultuous connection to the arts, Lisa Oppenheim and Mike Sperlinger curated the film series Eyeballing for the High Line in March of 2012. The series featured three films by four acclaimed artists, two from the early twentieth century and two contemporary filmmakers, whose works shared the subject of the Manhattan landscape. Through these three videos, New York City obtains a personality, which returns our gaze rather than merely exists as a stage for our actions.
#NYCporn!