116th Street 

Daniel Greene's "116th Street" presents us with a compelling urban tableau, primarily composed of geometric forms and layered textures. The cold, slick tiles contrast sharply with the warm, human presence of the figure seated below. Structurally, the composition is divided into distinct horizontal bands: the mosaic tilework, the station signage, the neutral-toned brick, and the red bench that supports the man. The signage becomes a focal point, with "116th Street" spelled out in mosaic tiles. Here, Greene employs a semiotic system where the station name functions as both a marker of place and a symbol of transit and urban existence. The man's downward gaze disrupts the grid-like precision of the background. His vulnerability softens the harshness of the built environment. Greene seems to be challenging fixed notions of space and identity by positioning a transient figure against a backdrop of public architecture. The rigid geometry and the emotive human form intersect, raising questions about how we experience, and are shaped by, our surroundings. Through this interplay, the painting becomes a poignant commentary on urban life.