Frederick Mershimer

42nd Street

Maker

Frederick Mershimer (American, b. 1958)

Title

42nd Street

Year

1997

Medium

Materials/Techniques

Techniques

Materials

mezzotint

Supports

Dimensions

Image: 39.2 x 63.3 cm (15 7/16 x 24 15/16 inches)

Credit / Object Number

Credit

Gift of Earl Retif and Ann Salzer in memory of Sylvan Cole

Object Number

2005.108.2

Type

Exhibition History

Visions and Revisions
Feb 15, 2019 – Aug 04, 2019

Label copy

“I wanted to capture the seedy quality of 42nd Street before Disney moved into the neighborhood. Many of the theaters were boarded up or had turned to porn, and the retail shops were not of the highest quality.” -Frederick Mershimer

Inspired by American prints from the early 1900s and by black and white movies, Mershimer employs mezzotint to create vivid depictions of modern-day New York City. In scale and ambition, this print is comparable to Earlom’s work (left), but instead of white-hot iron, here neon lights pierce the darkness. Dominated by buildings, Mershimer’s images-like Earlom’s-are rich in enigma and atmosphere. “Ultimately,” the artist states, “the subject is the mood.”

Image use

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In copyright This object is in copyright

Tombstone

Frederick Mershimer (American, b. 1958)
42nd Street, 1997
Mezzotint on wove paper
Image: 39.2 x 63.3 cm (15 7/16 x 24 15/16 inches)
Gift of Earl Retif and Ann Salzer in memory of Sylvan Cole 2005.108.2

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