Lonesome Town: The Paintings of Edward Hopper (1882-1967)
There are few modern painters as beloved as Edward Hopper. He’s like the face that launched a thousand ships, except in this case, he inspired generations of image-makers. His beautifully observed light - almost always incidental - and impeccable compositions are like a text book for cinematographers and photographers, while the quiet melancholy of his subject matter reflects the ennui of 20th century living like no other.
Hopper’s paintings have a subtle narrative quality that would become a template for photographers like Philip-Lorca diCorcia and Gregory Crewdson. He frequently plays the role of outsider or voyeur in the scenes he depicts, which gives them an inherent loneliness and sense of isolation. Even when painting subjects in an intimate setting, there is a palpable physical distance.
I don’t know any biographical details about Hopper and I decided not to look it up, because I’m pretty sure everything you need to know about him is in these paintings.
*Edit: After I finished the post curiosity got the best of me and I went to Hopper’s Wikipedia page, where I found this quote, “Always reluctant to discuss himself and his art, Hopper simply summed up his art by stating, “The whole answer is there on the canvas.”!!
This is why Edward Hopper’s paintings appeal to me so much.
