Rosemary’s Baby. Little Shop of Horrors. Jennifer Egan’s A Visit From the Goon Squad. The Devil Wears Prada. Hair. West Side Story. Toni Morrison’s Jazz. What do these works have in common? They’re each intrinsically linked to New York City, an essential part of its fabric. Third third-year students from the BFA Cartooning and BFA Illustration programs at the School of Visual Arts are taking similar inspiration from the Big Apple in a new exhibition called “Tales of the City,” now on view in the SVA Galleries virtual exhibition space.

Immersing themselves in the characters and vivid worlds created in literature, theater, music and film, from Harlem to Brooklyn, these students found inspiration in works like these and so many others that tell stories of New York.

For this exhibition, third-year students were prompted to research, conceptualize, sketch and fully develop a series of images or sequences that reflect literature in which New York City is the source of inspiration. This complex urban environment we call home has been fodder for writers, filmmakers, composers and journalists for generations and worldwide. By choosing one of the suggested literary works, students were allowed to express the city’s history, energy, might and underground grit, but most importantly, its unique mix of people and their stories.

“Tales of the City” is available to view through Friday, May 27 (and beyond, because it’s online). This large and diverse group of students’ work captures New York City’s brilliance, grit, and singularity through watercolor, oil painting, digital illustration and other mediums. Their interpretations of classic, beloved works range from depraved to romantic, thrilling to moody.

The online gallery includes over 200 adaptation projects, representing a wide range of conceptual approaches, techniques and aesthetic directions. Check out some of the work below.

An online exhibition of work by third-year students in the two undergraduate programs presents New York City-centric work.