Since Ben put up that great post about urban planning and individualism, I thought I would just show off some of John Hartman's great artwork that explore the concept of the city. They're really very striking, and a wonderful way to look upon the ideas of urban living and design.
Hartman, a native of lake country Ontario, has been painting natural scenes for decades, but in the early 1980s, he started to experiment. By combining a variety of perspectives, he created complex works that brimmed with nuance, detail, information and historical narrative--all of them presented in the form of an aerial image. "When I was a teenager, I used to have dreams I was flying over landscapes," he tells me from his studio in Lafontaine, Ontario. "They would roll underneath me just like I was a movie camera." (from Maisonneuve)
Anyway, with the magic on the internet, below are a few of his pieces to look at.









Trying to find your way around this place? Like most expositions, we offer a map: 


Comments
They're stunning Dave. Thanks for that. Have you seen these in person?
Posted by: BRC | May 22, 2007 9:09 PM
Regrettably no - I just found out about him recently through Maisonneuve. I'd imagine a piece like the Halifax one would be particularly impressive given its size.
Posted by: David Ng | May 22, 2007 10:53 PM
I have, they are awsome!
Posted by: Zia | March 3, 2008 5:33 PM