Far from the peaceful landscapes of the impressionists, the works of iconic American artist Edward Hopper - now on view at the National Gallery of Art - exude a different type of tranquility. Individuals captured in a lonely world replace the flowers, ponds and lakeside camaraderie that typically define landscapes.
Hopper's appreciation for the atypical landscape, incorporating architectural structures instead of seashores, is a stark contrast to the traditional. Hopper's 1942 work, "Nighthawks," which captures the unsettling standstill of the city at night, is a ubiquitous U.S. print.
Nonetheless, as notorious and recognizable as Hopper's work may be, the National Gallery of Art has put together quite the imposing exhibition, presenting 96 pieces dating roughly from 1925 to 1950.
The presentation begins at the East Building of the museum, undoubtedly while waiting in a line, if visiting on the weekend. Fortunately, this unplanned pause is overlooked once led into the exhibition space and presented with some of the artist's early etchings.
There is something for everyone in Hopper's masterpieces. An expert at finding the unnoticed and highlighting it, his depiction of a stark Greenwich Village is significant. While many fundamental U.S. artists captured the century's many technological advances and booming growth, Hopper was fixated on desolate streets and seemingly vacant apartments. In essence, the artist managed to perfectly capture the minute details of everyday U.S. life.
The artist's work has stood the test of time for various reasons. To some, Hopper's frankness is self-effacing in a field with many grandiose personas. Others reflect on the deeper meanings hidden beyond the two-dimensional canvas.
Significant relevance of his work in today's world can be placed on the various subject matters concerning women and seemingly "uninteresting" neighborhood buildings. When viewing Hopper's paintings, it is important, or rather imperative, to look closely at the entire composition.
In "From Williamsburg Bridge," a piece from 1928, a horizontal apartment building stretches across the canvas. At first glance, it's an attractive composition. Looking more closely, one can see a woman sitting on the ledge of her apartment window.
Images like this and others allude to the notion of voyeurism or stalking. However, this concept need not be confused or related to anything of today's celebrity-obsessed culture.
Instead, the women in Hopper's pieces are often alone with lost facial expressions. Their relatively mundane actions - reading, sewing and undressing, to name a few - are comparable to snapshot photographs. In regards to Hopper's reservations toward critics who saw in his work a theme of isolation, he replied, "The loneliness thing is overdone." Instead, this idea of looking into the lives of complete strangers poses the suspicion of interconnectivity among us all.
Washingtonians are blessed to have this exhibition on display, as it marks the largest comprehensive collection of the artist's work outside of New York in 25 years. Too busy to make it downtown? The National Gallery of Art has a video podcast of the exhibit through its Web site, www.nga.gov. The museum also features a film accompanying this exhibit, which is narrated by actor and Hopper collector Steve Martin.
This installation is sure to quench the artistic thirst of a college student with a dismal bank account and an appreciation for minimalism. Hopper's work will be on display in the District through Jan. 21 before moving to its next home in Chicago.
