" There are a lot of artists in Gowanus, and certain things come into your visual vocabulary from living there – the scale of the subway and the canal, sometimes it almost looks like a de Chirico painting, with the intense angles of the shadows and everything. "
- Dana Schutz

In the quote, Dana Schutz discusses her experiences living in Gowanus, a neighborhood in Brooklyn known for its artistic community. She observes that certain elements of the area, such as the size and design of the subway stations and the canal running through it, become part of an artist's visual vocabulary. The imagery she describes is reminiscent of Giorgio de Chirico’s paintings, which are characterized by their dramatic shadows and intense angles.

Beyond its literal interpretation, Schutz's quote touches on how environments shape artistic perception and expression. By noting the influence of physical structures like subway stations and natural features such as canals, she highlights the way artists absorb and reflect elements of their surroundings in their work. This process underscores the interconnectedness between an artist’s environment and their creative output, suggesting that places with unique architectural or geographical traits can inspire distinctive artistic styles and motifs. Schutz's observation invites readers to consider how they might also be influenced by the physical spaces around them.

Dana Schutz is a contemporary American painter known for her thought-provoking works that often explore complex themes such as identity, violence, and history through a lens of surrealism and abstraction. Her work has been featured in numerous exhibitions worldwide and has sparked significant dialogue within the art community.