February 2, 2013
Gotham Shrugged was a comment in a film I saw this week about the history of New York City. The words were an expression of the city’s response to hardships and difficult times. When I heard the words, I imagined a huge collective sigh of, “Whatever….” It was an image of stoic New Yorkers who had been there, saw it all and were moving on without concern. I have been thinking about the idea of a city-wide shrug.
Wheel of Chance
To shrug, according to the dictionary, is the act of contracting one’s shoulders to express aloofness, indifference, or uncertainty. Aloofness? Yes, I think the city exudes an air of “aloofness”. The general mood in New York City and other big cities is one of spatial boundaries and distance, with a minimum of eye-contact. People who live in large cities appear aloof. Uncertainty? I think not. There is no uncertainty or lack of confidence in the New York psyche. Potential vulnerability, perhaps. Uncertainty, definitely not. What about indifference? Here is the grand, who cares? Not my problem.
Immigration Art Installation
I was born in Manhattan just after WWII and grew up during a time of incomparable construction. I witnessed tremendous changes in the city. During my youth, New York City was a collection of ethnic neighborhoods. Many people were recent immigrants or children of immigrants who worked for the common goal of a better life. New York was safe for a child to walk the streets, ride the buses, or take a subway to an outer borough. It seemed there was little crime or we simply did not hear about it.
Historical Markers
The film I saw was an historical overview of the city presented by the recently renovated New York Historical Society. It was an interesting film and the idea of a shrugging city stayed with me as I toured the NYHS. Just off the elevator there was a display of artifacts from the first synagogue in North America founded in 1654 in lower Manhattan. The congregation “set the stage for religious and ethnic diversity in the United States,” according to the printed information. Further along, I was captivated by a charming exhibit of model toys and trains made in Marklin, Germany from the 1850s.
Keith Haring Ceiling
The Historical Society has greatly expanded their exhibition space and opened the building to display many more items from their huge collections. There were exhibits which ranged from landscape paintings of the Hudson River School to the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. There were of photographs of NYC landmark buildings, Audubon’s watercolors of American birds, World War II artifacts, Keith Haring’s amazing illustrations, and an interactive children’s history center. Exhibits covered NYC history through mass immigration, prejudice, wars, riots, depression, attacks, continual growth and change.
Sign in a Subway Car
After a few hours, I left the Historical Society and walked out into a light drizzle and a darkening sky. People walked quickly along the sidewalks. The lights of the city were burning brightly. Gotham Shrugged? I thought. During its 400 year old history, Gotham might have shrugged. However, after seeing the exhibitions, the shrug was not with indifference, or uncertainty, or arrogance. New York City shrugs with an air of “OK, we can do this. Let’s all pull together. We will endure.”