Since the 1970s Birmelin has been known for his images of New York City street scenes. In 1990 his imagery shifted from the exterior to the interior.
The functional capacity of hands to “dispense and receive” has been an ongoing theme in Birmelin’s work. The tactile quality of hands is emphasized both by the actions they are performing and the quality of the artist’s rendering.
This work suggests the desire for mental certainty in a sadly volatile environment, or “the need to get a grip on things” (Art in America, March 1991).