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few weeks ago they asked me to write an article about the work of Hopper and the Nighthawks and I, being an excellent researcher, went to find out. Because it is known, or at least is learned from experience, that to comprehend a painting one must know its history, the author and most importantly the context in which he painted it. It is surely something universal, transcendent to the space and time, which makes it is recognizable after hundreds of years. https://openartimages.com/search/edward-hopper are subject to change as the world and society change and what used to be easily seen, maybe several years ago, is now as obvious. What was unthinkable before, today could reveal the work to us in a totally different manner.Re-defining a piece of work in the course of timeThis is similar to what I imagine happens when you look at Hopper's " Nighthawks" that was shut at the bar late in the evening, and in the window, which resembles a fish tank, in the position of characters who were observed.I believe that in the painting Hopper would have wanted to provide space to the viewer, allowing viewers to take in the quiet, detailed and calm scene given to us by the night.This space, conceived for an active audience, is perhaps the keystone that allows the artwork to be changed throughout time and, consequently, to remain timeless, indestructible and even modern.The painting, made in 1942, is not immediately linked to a specific time period, but it seems that its dating is changeable according to the changes in the viewer, according to the moment at the period in which the work is viewed.I believe this is what is essential to reading, the space dedicated by the observer that Hopper wanted to create.I'll explain.While researching information and news on Hopper's " Nighthawks" I was able see how people describe it , highlighting the following elements:"[...] the solitude, the feeling of emptyness of a world whose shimmering patina is beginning to fade. [...] The distinctly commercial character of the myths is that they peel off their masks to reveal an unrealized reality, devoid of valid points of reference in the face of uncertainty and unconscience. "Night and transformationI think this interpretation is not complete which means that it's an interpretation influenced from the socio-cultural context as well as by the dates associated with the work that took place in The United States between the 40s and 50s, during the economic boom which redefined the social and cultural values in the lives of the people who lived in a society which is even a little bourgeois, where nightclubs are viewed as places of solitude or despair.It's a little true, but somewhat not.When I first saw this painting, without having studied it, it gave me a lot of peace and joy, thanks to its bright contrast and nighttime stillness.If I'm from the midst of a huge, noisy and bustling city, nighttime is one of those times where I can enjoy the city in a more peaceful way with fewer people in the area and fewer vehicles as well as less noise. There are also more space between the streets to choose, and which place to rest under the city's starless sky. The night has a very different meaning for me than those who frequented bars in the United States during the 40s: when the sun goes down and the city is transformed into its appearance and the streets are more open and easy.We must not forget how society has changed over the course of more than half a century of cultural and social changes. This is the case in between Pop and Rock culture, and between the popular psychedelic scene as well as the decade 2000.As a girl of the 90s, I have also grown up at night and by "growing up" I am referring to all the "formative" experiences that the night provided me with. For me it is always normal to go out after dark usually walking around the neighborhood, and on weekends, searching for the best nightclub, dancing till dawn, riding a motorbike or car to locate the last bar open to grab the croissant or hot pizza and where you can drink the last glass of wine and light the last cigarette before sunrise came. From the 80s and to the present, nightlife stopped from frightening those who stayed home (let's not forget the anti-prohibitionism movement, jazz music and even the Cursed Poets who were all great nights owls) and has since become the place where the majority of people are able to enjoy the peace and comfort of other night hawks.Hopper's modern RealismToday?, Hopper's painting is reminiscent of numerous scenes from contemporary life, and make me feel satisfied and sympathize with the three main characters who engage in an exchange of words while the bartender cleans the bar to close the bar and begin a new. The nocturnes want to rest in the solitude of the nocturnal company, meditate on their lives observing them through a glass . They form a group of the night, welcoming everyone , and never judging anyone. It's no accident that in the most ancient civilisations, such as the Indian one, the half hour before dawn is known as Brahmamuhurta which is also known as the time of Brahma the most ideal time to dedicate oneself to meditation, prayer, study and introspection. In this time, the energy levels are higher, intense but of tranquil, spiritual intensity.There is no solitude nor absence in the painting of Hopper. I found more among the gentrified streets of the night quarters, since even the right-thinking folks started drinking in the evening.<img width="373" src=" |
