Prints of New York City freeway at night Drawing

In 1977, the lights went out in New York City. Chaos ensued. But the nature of the disruption was far from simple.

When the lights went out that night the stark differences between New York’s poorest and some of its richest were illuminated in ways rarely seen. At the Windows of the World restaurant, atop the then-standing World Trade Center, the general manager abandoned protocol requiring suits and ties for everyone. That night he ordered champagne for all.

Meanwhile, other parts of New York saw the nightmare of desperately ‘shopping without paying’. That moment suddenly highlighted the class divisions that had fractured the city over many years.

Nearly a half a century later, the same division exists. This time it is a single lightbulb that has been flickering, or probably has never even lit up above one’s head to inspire and lead.

Never let the lights go out, this is New York City!

Open Edition Prints of the Original Drawing New York City freeway at night measuring 210 x 297mm (A4), created and hand drawn by the artist.