'New Yorker' artist on exhibit

Imagine what the world would look like from 9th Avenue in New York City. Saul Steinberg did. The renowned New Yorker cartoonist was so inspired that he drew "View of The World From 9th Avenue," one of his many creative and satirical cartoons which is now on exhibition at the Arthur Ross Gallery in the Furness Building. The exhibition, entitled "Saul Steinberg About America 1948-1995," is the collection of Jeffrey and Sivia Loria. It features 50 of Steinberg's works throughout his career. Steinberg is best known for his humorous and artistic covers for New Yorker magazine -- three of which are included in the exhibit. One of these, entitled "Lexington and Wilshire I," depicts the intersecting worlds of New York City and Los Angeles. In addition to his famous view of the world from the streets of New York City, Steinberg also uses his unique drawing ability to capture the essence of America. Using only pen and pencil -- or more complicated media such as watercolor, wax crayon, colored pencils and collage -- Steinberg displays his fascination with American symbols. In one comical animation, he depicts the Easter bunny, Santa Claus, Abraham Lincoln, the Statue of Liberty, George Washington and a Halloween witch sitting together at a Thanksgiving table -- beneath pictures of Niagara Falls and an Indian chief with a feather headdress. Another series of drawings depicts a bullfight with an unusual twist. A Thanksgiving turkey replaces the bull, Uncle Sam is the bullfighter and Mickey Mouse and Santa Claus are among the spectators. "A lot of people seem to respond to his unique vision of the United States," said Dilys Winegrad, director and curator of the gallery. "[Steinberg] sees it as very lush and fantastic, but he also sees it as violent." Winegrad continually pointed out Steinberg's attention to detail, especially with regard to people and buildings. Steinberg, a native of Romania, fled to America in the 1940s from Milan, Italy where he received a degree in architecture. "He's an unusual artist because most people know his art as part of a magazine and not as a picture to be hung on a wall," Winegrad said. However, she did point out that to view his actual works in person is "instructive because it's difficult to appreciate the entirety of Steinberg's art without seeing his more abstract pictures." The exhibit will run from through January 21. The Arthur Ross Gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.