Julian Rockmore's 1980s New York City Graffiti Train Subway Platform Scene Oil on Canvas

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Julian Rockmore's (1908-1988) work centers around two remotely distinct worlds, New York City and the picturesque countrysides of Northeast. In … Read more Julian Rockmore's (1908-1988) work centers around two remotely distinct worlds, New York City and the picturesque countrysides of Northeast. In his work, Rockwell captures but not idealize the American scene in both the city and country settings. In the social realistic style, Rockmore uses the tools of his trade to capture, rather document, the crass glamour of a New York City subway or the quaint charm of a country auction. Every ounce of Rockmore's energy is transformed onto the canvas via his fingertips and through his seemingly magical paintbrushes that bring to life dozens of vibrant colors. In this subway scene, a busy New York City commuter is hurrying down the platform to either make her connection or head to the exit to resurface. She passes another commuter reading a newspaper. In the foreground a figure is also buried in an open newspaper. In the background a train heading in the opposite direction and covered with graffiti has pulled into the station. "I am interested mainly in ordinary situations, and my attempt is to paint them in extraordinary ways" Julian Rockmore once stated during a lecture at the Morris Museum of Arts and Sciences. Rockmore commuted to New York City for over 20 years and estimated that he spent over 5,000 hours on the E Train. This scene he depicts here was just one of thousands he experienced on his daily commute.“Of course I could have gone back and forth all those hours without having ever seen anything–but all the colors, people and movement registered with me and I had to put it down.”

Rockmore began his training at the San Francisco Conservancy of Fine Arts and furthered his studies at the Chicago Art Institute. He also attended The Arts Student League of New York and Grand Central School of Art. His work was exhibited in several New York galleries and at the Morris Museum. See less