During his first year in the city, however, Wu could not sell a single painting. His style fitted in with New Realism principles, but his subject matter did not.
當時紐約正風行「新寫實主義」畫風，講求景物完全客觀、真實，吳炫三含有主觀色彩的抒情、回憶等歐洲傳統畫不受歡迎，在紐約的第一年，他一張畫也沒賣掉。