37/100
Automat
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Artist
Edward Hopper
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Year
1927
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Culture
American
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Date of Copy
Edward Hopper's paintings of urban alienation are iconic and relatable. I enjoyed recreating that lonely, cold, and mysterious atmosphere by copying this particular painting. I, and I'm sure many of you, have experienced scenes like this, even though this was painted around 90 years ago now. It's just that today, maybe this would be taking place in a gas station or bodega rather than an automat.
(By the way--automats are pretty interesting and used to be a big part of the fabric of NYC. They were eateries full of vending machines where you could get your food for a nickel. There's more good info in this episode of The Bowery Boys podcast.)
I don't know what it is about Hopper--even his landscape paintings have an introspective and somehow poignant mood. I think it's something about the careful placement and simplification of everything in the composition and the often strong almost stage-like lighting.
Reference image is from WikiArt. It is now at the Des Moines Art Center.