Ralph Fasanella

Coney Island

Oil on Canvas, 1965

In the mid-1960s Fasanella briefly moved away from creating works that dealt with the major political issues of the day and turned once again to the urban environment of New York for subject matter. In Coney Island the artist divides the canvas horizontally to make a stark contrast between the workaday life of the city along the lower margin with the fun and relaxation of the famous beachside amusement park at the top. Fasanella enjoyed depicting working people at leisure to convey a sense of their zest for life.