HOPPER’S “NIGHTHAWKS”
The Des Moines Art Center is displaying some of Edward Hopper’s original work on loan from the Seattle Art Museum and a private Seattle collection.
Edward Hopper was an American artist in the 1920s. Two common characteristics in his work show facets of American life, such as gas stations and theaters, and seascapes and rural landscapes. Because feminism was strong in the 1920s, many of his solitary figures are women.
Hopper once wrote, “It takes a long time for an idea to strike. Then I have to think about it for a long time. I don’t start painting until I have it all worked out in my mind.”
Influenced by film noir and other aspects of urban life, the majority of Hopper’s works are “modern in their bleakness and simplicity,” while “also full of nostalgia for the puritan virtues of the American past,” according to a book by Edward Lucie- Smith.
There are a variety of works showing his different styles and views. “Automat,” a permanent piece of the Art Center’s collection, and “Chop Suey” are anchoring pieces of the exhibit.
There are also events planned that are planned around Hopper’s work. A film series, art discussions and music of the period are scheduled in conjunction with the exhibit.
The exhibit is on display through April 23.
