I used to make pilgrimages to Chinatown, riding my bike across the Brooklyn Bridge and having a breakfast or lunch of Baked Bao at a favorite spot on Mott Street. I loved the activity there and the markets with Chinese vegetables on display. Perhaps it was the clash of narrow streets, lots of activity and people mixed with the Chinese culture that was evident throughout the area. This painting is one of a series of watercolors I did back in the 1970s, capturing some of the feeling there. I always thought of these as abstract pieces, even though they appear to be realistic. It's perhaps a quirk of mine to look at a realistic scene that way.