John McGowan

contributor to 1 poster

  • A saxophonist plays in the middle of an urban street at nighttime

    Artist

    Lonely Concrete World

    During my four years here, I have really enjoyed living in Syracuse, in the city especially. I'm from Buffalo, NY, and there's a visual aesthetic that connects the two cities—something in the layout, the architecture, the color—even the street names are similar. So I found it familiar when I first visited, probably in high school, and since then I've gotten to explore the region. I always go downtown. I go to The Galleries and the Central library at least once a week (I love books). That's why I chose that area to illustrate, around Jefferson and Warren streets. It strikes a chord with me, yet it's still unique to this city. It's not Armory Square, or Tipp Hill, it's not campus. It's a place that can't quite be named. It's not seen in brochures or on the news, but there's something about it that's distinctly Syracuse.