Critique #1

          “The Subway” by George Tooker portrays a frightened looking woman who is descending down a fluorescently lit hallway. On either side of her, metal bars are blocking off her route into other corridors. Although these bars are meant to distinguish the route to the subway, they have an ominous tone that gives the tunnel the appearance of a prison. All wearing similar clothing and expressions, the passengers in the background contribute to the overall eerie feeling of the painting. The bold color of the passenger’s jackets contrasts with their surroundings and puts emphasis on the uncomfortable brightness of the subway tunnel.
          The panicked woman in the center of the scene draws the viewer’s immediate attention. Her royal blue jacket catches the eye because it is surrounded by red, pale yellow, and white. In between two hallways, she is strategically placed in a position where the reader’s vision is lead to by the surrounding lines. The expression on the women gives the viewer the impression that she is taken aback by the scene before her. Her curved arm in front of her stomach could either be to protect herself from her frightening situation or to symbolize that she is sickened by what she sees. Tooker could be using the woman to portray his fear of conformity and express his thoughts on what he believes people are like today. Although her clothing is the same, the women’s expression is what separates her from the sea of people at the subway. She is obviously not one of them, and symbolizes the individuality which Tooker idealizes.