Pigeon in window overlooking Empire State Building and Brooklyn Bridge (AI) (skyline, Manhattan) by Natalie Bruns

This painting shows a unique perspective: a dove sitting quietly on the edge of an old Romanesque arch window, while in front of it stretches the New York skyline. The eye-catcher is the imposing Empire State Building, rising stately behind the iconic Brooklyn Bridge. The contrast between the weathered stone of the window and the modern skyline tells a story of time and change and how a tiny observer, a dove, looks out over human grand creations.

Look closely and you can see the soft brushstrokes filling the sky with warm pastel colours, as if the city is bathed in the glow of an early morning or late afternoon. The water under the bridge subtly reflects the hues of sky and city, giving the work an almost dreamlike quality. The colours blue, orange and beige combine to create a balanced atmosphere that feels both fresh and warm at the same time.

This painting is part of my mini-series 'Pigeon View', in each of which a pigeon looks out from an old building. In this series, it travels from the Eiffel Tower in Paris to the Burj Al Arab in Dubai, and on to New York, where it beholds this famous skyline.

My love of travel and other cultures inspired me to bring this series to life using AI. This work is more than a cityscape. It is an invitation to look at the world with different eyes, just like the dove silently witnessing beauty and history.