The best representation of New York is probably its skyline. People flock from all over the globe to capture a view of the extravagant buildings lined up together from either Long Island City or Jersey City. It represents the beauty, diversity, and energy that this city embellishes. The biggest difference between that painting’s depiction of Dumbo, Brooklyn and Dumbo currently is the emotions that are being conveyed. The dark colors and feeble existence of light in Brooklyn show that there were probably many factories there and barely any night life. Nowadays, with the Carousel at Brooklyn Bridge Park and the opening of many bars and condos, downtown Brooklyn is bustling throughout the days and nights. In terms of juxtaposition however, the depiction of Manhattan can still represent the Manhattan and today. The staples of tall buildings, lights, and traffic congestion can make any viewer perceive that Manhattan as a modern day interpretation. In my opinion, I believe that the painting was chosen as part of the Infinite Blue exhibit in order to show how gentrification has affected the development of Brooklyn. The use of darker shades of blue, in this case navy, can convey a sense of melancholy in showing the deterioration of the past identity of Brooklyn. The aerial view of the Brooklyn Bridge maybe also carries on that symbolism because usually, in movies, when a character dies, the camera begins to zoom out on their body as a representation of homage and appreciation. Maybe the painter, Yvonne Jacquette, originally meant for it to be a homage to Brooklyn. Nonetheless, now it can symbolize a homage to what Brooklyn once was. Most of the lights in this 1983 painting come from the warehouses and the cargo stations, which literally highlights what represents Brooklyn. As a whole, I think that it does show the idea that “New York is the City that Never Sleeps” is a timeless notion. This painting probably takes place in the middle of the night, and the fact that there’s still cars filling up the highways, even in Brooklyn, shows that the spirit of New York City can never be taken away. I’m wondering why the artist chose to depict this particular location, rather than do something more significant such as the Twin Towers or the Empire State Building. I read up on the artist and she’s known for renting lofts at high-rises in Lower Manhattan and painting aerial views based on her perspective. Thus, with that context, maybe she wants the viewers to appreciate New York for what it is. In the midst of our bustling lives, she wants us to pause and take in our beautiful scenery that ironically is less appreciated by actual New Yorkers than by tourists.