Take me to the bridge...
I really am so pleased that our site is featuring some of James Vanderberg’s inspiring work. These paintings evoke a sense of place that is deeply felt before it is fully understood, and those feelings linger.
I’ve selected Robert Moses Bridge for my post here because of its personal resonance. I’ve driven the Ocean Parkway and the RM Causeway more times than I can count. In the middle of that great bridge spanning the Great South Bay, the vastness of the natural surroundings overwhelms you, and you think for a moment of what this land must have been like before its development in the mid-twentieth century. I feel that this painting captures that wonder and awe beautifully.
I dare say Robert Moses himself would approve. Though the man had his (many) obvious faults (or so it seems), he tried in his own way to make his creations beautiful, and he constantly challenged his engineers and architects to work up to his standards.
I do hope you enjoy James Vanderberg’s work. It’s a valuable addition to our collection.
State of the Arts
by Kenneth R. Frank
