The Street 1961

Sid Hammer made this print, “The Street,” sometime before 1969, and it's all about process. Look at how the lines swarm together, a frantic energy that defines the buildings and the empty street alike. It's not just about depicting a city; it's about feeling it. The texture of the print is really cool – you can almost feel the grit of the city pavement and the rough surfaces of the buildings. The ink isn’t uniform. In places, it pools and gathers. The darkest areas create a sense of depth and shadow, almost like the city is breathing. See the way the light seems to struggle to break through? That’s the feeling Hammer’s giving us. It reminds me a bit of some of the more atmospheric cityscapes by Lyonel Feininger. Both artists capture a sense of urban unease, the city as a living, breathing thing. I don't think there's any definitive meaning. Art's more about opening up possibilities.