Empire State
Manhattan, New York
2020
Edition of 50
Reflection
Few places better express humanity's ambition than Manhattan. Yet from above, its greatest reminder is not the skyline itself, but the rivers and parkland that quietly contain it.
Print information
- Edition
- Limited edition of 50, plus artist proofs.
- Archival pigment print on museum-grade fine art paper.
- Sizes
- Available sizes and presentation options provided on enquiry.
- Certificate
- Signed, numbered and supplied with a certificate of authenticity.
- Framing
- Framed, mounted and print-only options available depending on destination.
- Shipping
- Secure domestic and international delivery quoted individually.
Behind the Flight
Empire State was photographed during the same helicopter flight as Ascension , but it explores a very different idea. Spending time in New York, I was struck by the city's almost magnetic pull. Everything seems amplified here. The density of people, the pace of life, the concentration of wealth and ambition. It's a city that never appears to pause.
Standing on the streets, that intensity can feel overwhelming. Yet from the air a different perspective begins to emerge. Manhattan is, after all, just a narrow island. It seems almost impossible that so much human activity could exist on such a finite piece of land, surrounded on all sides by water.
As we flew above the city in winds approaching 60 knots, the helicopter was constantly being buffeted. I found myself bracing against the open doorway while waiting for brief moments of stability to make each exposure. The turbulence somehow reinforced the feeling that New York itself possessed an extraordinary energy, pulling everything towards its centre.
Looking down, I was struck by the contrast between the tightly packed city blocks and the natural elements that continue to define Manhattan. The Hudson and East Rivers quietly contain the island, while Central Park provides a remarkable breathing space within an otherwise relentless urban landscape.
Empire State became my way of expressing that balance. Human ambition has transformed almost every available metre of land, yet nature remains ever present, quietly framing the city and reminding us that even the world's greatest cities exist within boundaries they can never completely overcome.
