The photograph titled “St. Mark’s Church: Skywriting Spiral” is attributed to the artist Berenice Abbott. It captures the scene at East 10th Street and Second Avenue and appears to be a black and white image emphasizing the contrast between the architecture of the church and the whimsical pattern created by skywriting above it.
In the photograph, we see St. Mark’s Church, characterized by its aged facade and the sharp lines of its steeple pointing to the sky. The building’s surface shows a play of light and shadows, with distinct architectural details like arched windows. In contrast to the solid lines of the steeple and the historic feel of the church, the sky above presents a light, ephemeral spiral, seemingly drawn by an airplane’s skywriting. This juxtaposition creates a visual conversation between the permanence of the church and the fleeting nature of the skywriting.
