New Yorkistan
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"New Yorkistan" is the title of the cover art for the 2001-12-10 edition of The New Yorker magazine. It was created by Maira Kalman and Rick Meyerowitz[1] and is according to the American Society of Magazine Editors #14 on the list of the top 40 magazine covers of the past 40 years.[2]. It depicts the boroughs of New York City, as well as individual neighborhoods within the city, giving each a humorous name (a "funny mixture of Yiddish, Persian, and New Yorkisms"[3]) based on the history or geography of that area of the city, while playfully using names or suffixes common to the Middle East, such as "istan". Thus the title, "New Yorkistan".
The cover has been unexpectedly popular, with the New Yorker making approximately $400,000 by February 2002 by selling copies of the picture as signed lithographs (all 750 copies of which sold out within 4 days) and unsigned posters.[4][5] The New Yorker also sells shower curtains with the picture printed on them.
According to Kalman, the inspiration for the cover arose in a car on the way to a party. She and Meyerowitz were talking about tribalism. At one point she came up with the idea of "Bronxistan", to which Meyerowitz replied "You know, we've got a map here.".[1] Originally, the picture was to be run on the back page of the magazine, but editors liked it so much that it was decided to make it the cover picture.[6]
Jarratt describes the cover as "lampooning both New Yorkers' city-bound geographic consciousness and a nationwide ignorance of the geography of Central Asia". Jarratt notes that it was one of the first "humorous interventions" since the events of September 11, 2001. [7] Urschel notes that this timing of the cover's publication was fortunate. Kalman herself commented on the timing, saying that "if [the cover had come] out earlier, many would have been infuriated, and if it [had come] out later, no one would have cared.".[6]
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[edit] Placenames
The places depicted, with their explanations (according to the artists or to commentators), are as follows:
- Al Quarantine
- Rikers Island, New York's largest jail.[8]
- Al Zheimers
- Artsifarsis
- Situated in the theater district, this is a play on the term "artsy-fartsy", as well as a reference to the Persian language, which is the official language of Iran.
- Bad
- Botoxia
- Botox
- Bronxistan
- The Bronx
- Blahniks
- The Upper East Side where "everyone can afford Manolo Blahnik shoes"[3][9]
- Bulimikhs
- Bulimics
- Central Parkistan
- This is Central Park in Manhattan.
- Chadorstore
- Jersey City, home of a Muslim community where women wear a chador. Also a pun on The Door Store, a well-known New York furniture store.[10]
- Coldturkeystan
- E-Z Pashtuns
- E-ZPass, an electronic toll collection system, based in New Jersey.
- Extra Stan
- Fashtoonks
- Fattushis
- Feh and Ptooey
- Yiddish expressions of negativity ("feh!", "ptooey!") for a part of The Bronx that is considered dangerous.[10]
- Flatbushtuns
- Flatbush, Brooklyn
- Fuhgeddabouditstan
- This is in Brooklyn, where this place name sounds like the local pronunciation of the popular local expression "Forget about it."
- Gadzhooks
- Gaymenistan
- The neighborhood of Chelsea, currently a very "gay" part of Manhattan.
- Gribinez
- The Hudson River. "gribinez" is Yiddish for "cut-up chicken parts"[9]
- Halibutz
- Halibut
- Harry Van Arsdale, Jr., Blvd.
- This is the actual name of the road depicted and is the only real name on the map. According to Meyerowitz, the reason is simply that the name is inherently funny: "The name never failed to make me laugh when I approached it."[9]
- Hiphopibad
- Hip hop with -bad nameplace ending
- Irant and Irate
- A reference to ranting and being irate, as well as to Iran and Iraq.
- Khaffeine
- ... (Also note the jagged lines marking the territory, a reference to the effects of caffeine.)
- (Conn.) Khakis
- Southwestern Connecticut, a wealthy area that could be considered a stronghold of WASP culture and the article of clothing often associated with them.
- Khandibar
- A pun on candy bar and Khandahar.[9]
- Khantstandit
- "Can't stand it"
- Kharkeez
- This is in southern Connecticut, with the translation being "car keys", a reference to the many NY workers who commute to the city from Connecticut.
- Khkhzks
- Khouks
- Khurz
- Curs and Kurds
- Khlintunisia
- This is in Harlem, the "Khlintun" part being a reference to President Clinton's office location in Harlem. Also, "Tunisia" is a primarily Islamic/Arab country in northern Africa.
- Kvetchnya
- A pun on Chechnya and "kvetch".[9]
- Le Frakhis
- LeFrak City, a housing complex in Queens[10]
- Lesbikhs
- Lowrentistan
- The former location of the World Trade Center.
- Lubavistan
- Named after the Lubavitch branch of Hasidic Jews, most of whom live in Brooklyn.[10]
- Moolahs
- Wall Street and the financial district of Manhattan. "moolah" is a common slang term for money.[8]
- Mooshuhadeen
- Combination of 'mujahideen' and 'moo-shu', referring respectively to the Arabic term for those involved in a struggle ("jihad") and to Chinatown and 'moo-shu' dishes in Chinese-American cuisine.
- Musaks
- Mutterers
- Notsobad
- The one area of The Bronx that is not considered dangerous to go to.[10]
- Outer Perturbia
- Pashmina
- A pashmina is a shawl often made of cashmere. This is in an affluent area of the city, where women can afford cashmere and may be drawn to the stylish use of pashminas.
- Perturbia
- Psychobabylon
- Psychobabble
- Schmattahadeen
- Schmatta is Yiddish for "rag", sometimes used for clothing by those in the fashion industry.
- Shatoosh
- Snit
- Soporifiks
- Spit
- Stan
- This is Staten Island. It's just plain "Stan" because of its nondescript nature.[10]
- Taxistan
- This is the location of LaGuardia Airport in Queens, with its large contingent of taxis waiting for arriving passengers.[3]
- The Potatoes
- These islands (2 are North Brother Island and South Brother Island) are shaped much like potatoes, at least in the drawing.
- Trumpistan
- an "area of future development" [6], presumably by NY developer and "Apprentice" "star" Donald Trump.
- Turban Sprawl
- urban sprawl
- Upper Kvetchnya
- Kvetch is Yiddish for "complain".
- Veryverybad
- Wretched Kurz
- Yhanks
- This is the South Bronx, home of the New York Yankees and Yankee Stadium.
- Youdontunderstandistan
[edit] References
- ^ a b Maira Kalman (2001-05-06). How to Conquer Stupidity. The New Yorker.
- ^ ASME's top 40 magazine covers of the past 40 years. American Society of Magazine Editors (2005-10-17).
- ^ a b c Alleen Pace Nielsen. "Humour in the news" (PDF). . Walter de Gruyter
- ^ "The New Yorker uncovers an unexpected profit center - Ancillary Profits - by licensing cover illustrations", Folio: The Magazine for Magazine Management, February 2002.
- ^ Daniel Grand. "A Print by Any Other Name...", OpinionJournal, The Wall Street Journal, 2004-02-12.
- ^ a b c Donna Urschel (December 2002). Response to Horror: Gallery Talks Feature Artists Affected by 9/11 Events. Information Bulletin. Library of Congress.
- ^ Susan C. Jarratt (2005). "A Human Measure", in Arthur E. Walzer, Richard Graff, and Janet Atwill: The Viability Of The Rhetorical Tradition. SUNY Press, 108. ISBN 0791462854.
- ^ a b Da Forgotten Boro. Staten Island Web Forums=.
- ^ a b c d e Sarah Boxer. "A Funny New Yorker Map Is Again the Best Defense", The New York Times, 2001-12-08.
- ^ a b c d e f New Yorkistan. Google Answers.
[edit] Further reading
- Sparberg, Alice (2002-07-01). "Tribal New York" ([dead link] – Scholar search). Lilith 27 (2). ISSN 0146-2334.
[edit] See also
- list of named ethnic enclaves in North American cities
- Saul Steinberg, whose 1976 "View of the World from 9th Avenue" cover for The New York has been compared to this illustration.
