War, plague, earthquake, fire, flood, and terrorism are some of the forces that have shaped great cities. History has been told and retold in painting, literature and film—and now in a series of sculptures by Matthew Picton, which are on view at Christopher Henry Gallery until the end of the month.

First seen through the gallery’s glass doors, from across the street, the grid of Lower Manhattan exerts a strange power because it is both recognizable and obscure. On closer view, it becomes evident that the paper forming each city block consists of newspaper headlines following the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Fire has rendered the area around the Twin Towers charred; a cloud of gray blankets the surroundings like smoke; the artist’s rendition casts the event permanently in the realm of a single day in the tide of history. Lower Manhattan is flanked by several more “maps” of cities in transition, including Florence, Italy; Dallas, TX; Washington, DC; Dresden, Germany; and more.

Paper Cities continues at Christopher Henry Gallery through January 29^th. 127 Elizabeth Street, NY, NY. Image above, copyright and courtesy the artist.

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