135th Street and Riverside Drive Possibly 1989 - 1990

Madoka Takagi captured 135th Street and Riverside Drive with her camera. The tones of the image play on light and dark, revealing the scene in monochrome. The materiality of the photograph itself, the paper and the chemicals used to develop it, provide a lens through which we view a wintery scene in New York. Takagi shot from above, presenting a street burdened by snow and a pile up of cars. The image quietly speaks to the ceaseless movement of urban life, a constant flow of people, vehicles, and materials, even when halted by natural forces. The snow, a simple element, transforms familiar objects and spaces. The way Takagi has framed this photograph asks us to think about the physical layers of the city, and the labor that goes into maintaining it. It’s a compelling reminder that art can be found in the everyday, if we pause to consider the world around us.