



Artists love to paint lighthouses even though once you’ve seen one lighthouse, you’ve seen them all. They all look very similar to one another, but what makes them such a popular subject (apart from their sublime surroundings) is their inherent symbolism. They are beacons of hope and safe harbor (which also makes them easy to sell).
The choice to focus on big chain pharmacies as aesthetic objects was initially met with some skepticism, as they all do look quite similar to one another. However, as someone struggling with anxiety, depression, and isolation, these familiar spaces have great importance to me, (not because they sold me antidepressants -during the years I made this series I was not taking any medication) but because they were a reason to leave home, and a place to spend time alone that felt a little less lonely.
By the time I finished this series, a lot of the locations had closed down permanently, so I’m really glad I had a chance to honor them with these portraits.
Rite Aid at Night, Autumn. Chelsea NYC 2019
Duane Reade, Summer. Kings Highway, NYC 2019
Rite Aid, Summer. Lower West Side NYC 2019
Duane Reade, Spring. Brooklyn NYC 2019
CVS in the snow, Winter. Chelsea, NYC 2019
CVS entrance, Spring. Chelsea, NYC 2019
Walgreens, Summer. Brooklyn NYC 2019
CVS, Summer. Sheepshead Bay Brooklyn NYC 2019
CVS, Autumn. Kings Highway Brooklyn, NYC 2019
Click an image for full size:
All work acrylic and sand on canvas. Works are either 18 x 24″ or 16 x 20″, except for Shining Hours, which is 37 x 40″.
Reach out via Contact page for price list with exact dimensions, or visit my STORE at Saatchi Art.
Painted in NYC. © Tasha Goldblum 2017.