The latest installment of Lens, a series of interviews with interesting people in New York and beyond! This week, Rose Silberman-Gorn, an artist and writer who recently moved to New York, offers some tips and thoughts about her new city. Through her artwork, she aims to create a bizarre and beautiful world that viewers can dive into. Her portfolio contains colorful sketches that cross the bridge between the real and surreal; see her portfolio RoseSilbermanGorn.com.
What brought you to New York City?
While in college, I spent a semester in Paris, which was my first time actually living in a major city, and I realized that major cities are the best! A couple of months later, I visited a friend from my semester abroad in NYC, and I realized that I could see myself living there—NYC is basically the US equivalent of Paris; a huge, art-centric city. I’m an artist and it makes me way happier to be around lots of art, and cities like Paris or NYC allow me to do that. Around 2011, the seed of my moving to NYC was planted, and I eventually made the move happen!
How is New York City different from or the same as your hometown?
I’m from Latham, NY, a suburb which is a short drive from Albany. It’s extremely different from NYC—Latham itself is technically not even a town but a hamlet, and its population is around 3,000 people. NYC has way more of everything—people, jobs, art, and opportunities.
What are some unique “New York City” things you’ve done or seen?
NYC is bursting at the seams with art—museums, galleries, street art—so I try to go out and look at it! I especially like checking out museums on free nights.
What was your most unexpected New York moment?
I’ve only been here a couple of months so far, so I’m not sure if I’ve experienced it yet!
What would you recommend to someone looking for a New York experience?
NYC has so many things geared towards any interest imaginable, so I would recommend that people check out things that specifically interest them.
What should someone know when they come to New York?
It takes time to adjust to the massive hordes of people, especially in Manhattan. It took me a while to realize that you need to wait for people to get off the subway before getting on, and it helps to walk quickly and not stand still in the middle of the street. In general, it’s a good idea to be aware of your surroundings—and it helps that in NYC, your surroundings are usually interesting or beautiful.
For more art, see Rose’s portfolio. Follow her Instagram for NYC photographs.
Read more from the Lens series.
Lens by Sarah 