Sunday, February 14, 2016

Private moments

I much admire Edward Hopper's work.  I love the way he allows us to contemplate private moments, ordinary moments.  He presents them cinematically so that they seem elevated to scenes of quiet drama, but really they are simply the stuff of life.
I first saw Night on the El Train at an exhibition of American prints at the British Museum some years ago, and like so much of Hopper's work it has stayed prominent in my memory.  Especially so perhaps because I remember how when my husband and I were courting back in the 60s we had to snatch at any opportunity to be intimate.  This could have been us.
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4 comments:

  1. Eirene6:09 pm, February 14, 2016

    I love Edward Hopper's work, Olga, and I still have not forgiven myself for missing the London exhibition a few years ago. He donated most of his paintings to the Whitney Museum in New York, so when we visited I was really excited about seeing some of his work but alas all the paintings were in storage as the Biennial was on. There is always hope though....

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    1. Olga Norris8:53 pm, February 14, 2016

      I'm sorry you missed the Tate exhibition, Eirene. I hope that you have another chance to see his work. I have been lucky enough to see several examples in collections in the USA, but never at the Whitney, which as in your case has always had a specific exhibition on when I visited.

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  2. The Idaho Beauty5:22 am, February 16, 2016

    What a perfect description of Hopper's work. I think it appeals because the little scenes he portrays are so relatable, so believable. And, as I've seen expressed by the "experts", there's a bit of voyeurism in viewing the world through his eyes - perhaps we don't want to admit it but really, I do think it is human nature to want a glimpse into another person's private life. To see what we wished we had or to note we may not have it so bad after all. Or like in the case of the couple on the train, to be reminded of a sweet time in our own life.

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  3. Olga Norris10:42 am, February 17, 2016

    I quite agree Sheila that we humans are curious about each other's private lives - look at the popularity of most magazines and of soap operas!

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