New York: on being an ‘aesthetic’ city

New York is a place of paradox, on one hand there's the timeless glamour of the historic architecture, cultural and commercial activities, on the other hand there's a gritty side like old streets smell of garbage and there's safety issue.

Despite the downsides, people are fascination by the city that never sleeps and it's even depicted that if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere. I was a part of the lured, maybe not in terms of the success and struggle part, but in terms of the ambience – the allure partly shaped by idealistic portrayals of pop culture and western ideologies, partly shaped by the reputation of the city being one of the best places for street photography. Historic brownstone buildings, steam pipes and iconic yellow taxis define the spaces, and urban dwellers of diverse demographics and styles go about their day. Large digital screens, crowded streets and skyscrapers around Times Square form the sugary depiction of late capitalism and consumerism. Grand Central Terminal is a past that’s still living in the present, a well-dressed witness that sees people being on the way to pursue their own ideal life, generations after generations. Museums of various architectural style and themes make you spend the whole day there with the treasured artworks and artifacts. Central Park holds space for the inhabitants to reconnect with nature and rest. And the glittering skyline comes to life in the dark, capturing hearts of visitors of Empire State Building.

Is the city alluring? Yes for sure, it's even described as 'aesthetic'. But one can’t help but ponder, when we describe a city as ‘aesthetic’, are we unintentionally reducing it to a safe cliché ready to be consumed over and over again and marginalize something else? Maybe we're not in love with New York itself, we're in love with the way we depict New York and how that makes us feel.