Observation Elevator

In 1985 the artist was commissioned by the National Elevator Cab and Door Company to make a large painting and an edition of prints. The image is based on the new observation elevator cars the company installed in the Marriott Marquis Hotel when it was first built in Times Square in the heart of Manhattan. The owner of the company appears twice in this piece, first looking out of the second window from the left, and then behind the camera in the right side window. A translucent, pearlescent glaze creates the illusion of glass windows, encapsulating the passengers in the elevator. The drawn perspective and the artist’s use of color create a strong illusion of three-dimensionality.