Frank Altamura (1924-1995)

Labels by Bailey Boyer

To ease travel from busy downtown Buffalo to industrial and residential South Buffalo, The Skyway was built in 1953 as a pathway towards our city’s future. Artist Frank P. Altamura used strong lines, geometric shapes, and muted colors to reflect the urban landscape to provide a dominant sense of city life’s nighttime vitality. However, there is also a suggestion of pollution from traffic and nearby industrial businesses. Now, being almost 70 years old, this massive bridge crossing the Buffalo River has become controversial due to its condition and location blocking easy access to our redeveloping waterfront. 

For Kids:

What do you think these painted lines represent? This painting was inspired by a large bridge-like structure called The Skyway, where cars travel near our waterfront. Have you ever ridden in a car over the 110-foot-high Skyway and looked at Lake Erie or the city? What colors do you see? Why don’t you see colors like green? The artist painted this for a reason—what do you think it could have been?