The Subway
G. Boersma
acrylics on masonite
27.6 x 36.7" or 70 x 93,3 cm
2004
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I love to paint scenes of public transport and subways in particular. As a painter I'm attracted by the lighting and all the beautiful reflections it creates. But most of all I'm interested in the people riding the subways.
It never seize to amaze me how people can sit right next to each other and not say a word at all, a simple hello is asking too much. The figures on my painting are both reading and their minds are absent, yet they're sitting pretty close to one another. I like to think that despite their appearances they have a lot in common.
When I first showed this painting in New York back in 2005 a lot of MTA (New York subway transport) workers showed up at the opening. They couldn't believe how real it looked and I remember them discussing which car it supposed to be. They could tell by arrangement of seats and numbers in the top left corner. If you take close look you can actually see me in the reflections of the window taking a picture. It's hard to make out, but I'm there.
The Subway was purchased by a private collector of mine from Napoli, Italy.
kind regards, Gerard
