The Indianapolis Museum of Art (“Newfields’) reopened on July 17th with an exhibit about Edward Hopper.
I am glad the curators included some of his drawings because they present the most lively work in this show.
The above drawing is dated in the 1950’s. It may have been a study for the painting “People in the Sun,” 1960.
What fascinates me is that the drawing is lively and energetic, while the painting is, well, dead.
Hopper’s mind as he contemplated a man in a lawn chair looking over a desolate landscape was nevertheless agitated. We don’t know by what–memories or necessary imminent decisions or shocking insights. It’s an agitated drawing scribbled out in a frenzy of concentration, took maybe all of five minutes.
But the painting looks like sheer drudgery, as if he just wanted to get it done and be finished with it.
If the artist intended to satirize the alienation of modern life, he failed. I think, the image fails as satire because it lacks wit.
We instantly recognize it as a Hopper because human forms are part of the geometry of the composition.
Let that be my introduction to Edward Hopper at the IMA. You can tell that I have issues with this show and with the interpretation of this artist.
So far we have some key concepts: agitation, alienation, drudgery, modern life, geometry, human form, satire and wit.
Stay tuned.
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artamaze by Katherine Hilden 