The article I read was “On the Aesthetics of Urban Walking and Writing” by Phillip Lopate. I was really able to connect with this article because of Lopate’s love for Manhattan. I have a certain love for the city as well. I grew up in Minneapolis and the city has since become a part of me. The people I met there and the overall feel of the city is what made me want to stay in a city for college which is why I came to Milwaukee. Lopate’s description of the streets of Manhattan brought me back to Minneapolis and the feel of the city.


Lopate emphasizes the value of walking in the city. By walking aimlessly and taking in the sights and sounds of the city, one can learn things about themselves and about the city that were previously unrealized to them. The realization of your surroundings both visually and audibly is a repeated theme throughout the article. Another thing that Lopate describes is the awe felt when experiencing the immensity of the city and its skyline.


As a media artist, I believe it is important to find the aesthetic aspects in every detail of your work. Lopate’s wandering aesthetic supports this in that the things he notices are details which go unnoticed when walking with a purpose. It goes to say that beauty can be found on many different levels when one takes the time to notice it. As a media artist, one should incorporate many levels of aesthetic detail for those few who take the time to look for it.