I was first introduced to the painter Edward Hopper by Jason Kummerfeldt's Youtube channel: Grainydays. Since then, I have been falling in love with Edward Hopper's style. When I finally got my QNL membership, I knew I had to look for Hopper's work in the shelves of the massive library. That's when I came across Avis Berman's 'Edward Hopper's New York,' which introduced me to more of Hopper's work than the ever-popular Nighthawks.
The book introduced me to the telltale signs of what made Hopper's work, well, Hopperesque: looking through windows, characters in isolation, the interplay of light and shadow. Avis Berman's book was just the right size for me, to lure me into the world of Edward Hopper while painting the story of his life and career.
I found that there's something so unique about Edward Hopper's style, that it is instantly recognizable when noticed in settings without any human subjects whatsoever. It's this iconic nature that makes my heart jump whenever I see a scene that bears even the tiniest resemblance to Hopper's oeuvre. Serendipitously, just a few days after I completed reading Avis Berman's book, Matt Reeves's The Batman hit the theatres. The movie's cinematographer Greg Fraser dropped several subtle Hopperesque scenes throughout the movie, but none as striking as this one, which is an obvious nod to Nighthawks (with a hint of New York Movie with the staircase on the right,) a subtle easter egg, an iykyk moment.
I knew I wanted to read more about Hopper. So off I went to the library again to borrow another book. By this time, I'd realized that massive prints just feel more immersive (more on that some other time) I borrowed a book on Edward Hopper edited by Carter E. Foster. The first chapter elaborated on Edward Hopper's painting style. Hopper used certain details of locations without representing places too specifically, which allowed the viewer to interpret the scene. He would also extensively use drawings to explore lighting and his compositions to completion.
Hopper's paintings to me, tell a whole story of what might be going in the heads of the protagonists without giving away the slightest expression on their faces. Hopper's subjects don't look happy or sad, it is our interpretation that brings context. When I look at Hopper's paintings, I see subtlety, they talk about the people, the charade and masks people put on, and how alone and hollow they are inside, how one can be in a crowd of people and still completely lost in their own world at the same time. This, of course, might not be the artist's intention, but it is my interpretation.
Beyond that, Hopper's exceptional skill at playing with light in a scene is so technically commendable. My favorite painting which plays with light is New York Movie. It's the way the light of the lamps on the right wall hits the usherette's face, enveloping it while her thoughts envelop her. Hopper's use of diagonals and diagonal lights is also something that seems to appear repeatedly in his work.
I've talked about how I find Hopper's iconic style so eye-catching. Luckily, I'm not alone, as many photographers and artists have noticed Hopperesque scenes around them. It's a fun game to recognize which of Hopper's paintings might have inspired the artist.
Here are some other photos I saw on Instagram that remind me of Hopper, by Lara Santaella Carretero, Gopi Vadsak, Jerome Sessini, and Shreyansh Pandey.
It was no surprise then, when I was sitting in Msheireb one day, talking to my friend Mohsin outside Arabica cafe, I noticed this woman sitting with her laptop. What was she doing? why was she sitting alone? I don't know. The scene had the onlooker element Avis Berman talked about, the isolation surrounding the protagonist, and the simplicity coupled with disquietude. At that moment, I noticed Hopper in the scene, and that made me want to photograph it. Which painting do you think it is inspired by?
Lovely article, Sapta! Hopper happens to be one of my most favourite artists as well. You and I should sit down once and discuss his work + some other painters who’ve been heavily influenced by him too. Also - read The Lonely City by Olivia Laing if you haven’t yet. There’s an excellent chapter on it about Hopper, the man as opposed to Hopper, the artist. Reveals a lot :)