Jumping Shadowman, 1983 1983

Editor: We're looking at Richard Hambleton's "Jumping Shadowman" from 1983, made with acrylic paint. It's predominantly black and white, and the figure looks like it's in mid-air, almost dissolving into the background. What stands out to you about this piece? Curator: What strikes me is the anxiety it evokes. Hambleton placed these figures on the streets of New York City at a time when the city was experiencing huge social and economic upheaval, as well as the AIDS crisis. Editor: So the "shadowman" is more than just a figure, but is a symbol? Curator: Exactly. How does this piece intersect with urban decay and the heightened sense of vulnerability pervasive during the 80s? Think about Foucault’s ideas around power and the gaze, or even Sontag's writing on illness as a metaphor. Can the "shadowman" be read as a specter of fear, preying on a vulnerable population? Editor: That's a chilling thought, viewing it through the lens of social anxieties and health crises. Curator: Moreover, where do you see echoes of Abstract Expressionism in it, and how do they function within the socio-political statement that the piece seems to be making? Editor: The raw brushstrokes and the figure's obscured form definitely tie it to that movement. The emotions feel raw. Now I am looking at it in a different way! Thank you! Curator: Art offers a powerful space to confront challenging truths and question societal structures. Looking at the circumstances behind the painting made you change the initial feeling of anxiety you were referring to, correct? Editor: Absolutely, contextualizing the piece really unlocked new layers of meaning for me.