It has been a long week for most. Storms have ripped through the Northwest leaving many without heat and electricity. I lived in the Northwest for over 16 years, I don't ever remember winds raging over a 100 MPH in December. So we send warm thoughts their way. ( Light a Candle for Mel- I fear she is sitting in the dark). And on the DC Front Senator Johnson has suffered a brain hemmorhage and delicate dangerous surgery, please send your prayers and light to this man and his family. We also lost Peter Boyle this week, a fine actor with wit and wisdom. I won't be able to watch Young Frankenstien again without missing him and kleenex next to the popcorn. And of course Dennis Kucinich announced his next run for Presidency, and I know he is doing it to keep People Focused on Iraq, and for that I am grateful.
I am wrestling with Christmas Blues, so tonight I am posting the Enigma Cafe Hopper Gallery Special. It is a gallery of three YouTube Hopper treasures.Two are Hopper's Finest set to music, and the third video is Video that is a Hopper Painting Come to Life. All three are soul soothing on a cold damp Friday night.( I call this Gallery Reclinering).
I have also posted a small goodbye to Shithead Rummy and a short Film dedicated to our Delusional King. Earlier in the week if you scroll back I have posted some posts about Iraqit Civilian Deaths that are disturbing but enlightening. Blogs that I am reading tonight for some extra comfort are Morning Martini, Mel, Cosmic Messenger,PoetryMan,Dada, Peacechick,Grand Poobah,Gay Agenda, Fred,Newsguy and Spadoman all have Special Goodies up this week.( and all are over on the blogroll) So have a nice sit and some coffee..... Let me warm you up.
Edward Hopper
21 comments:
If you are in the Hopper Painting above- Nighthawks...who are you ? ....I am the redhead at the Counter ;-)
Looking at the Hopper art, I think we are all in there someplace. It's interesting how he shows couples and their distance from one another.
Good show (the Harper slideshows).
well in the diner painting, I am the redhead's older sister, just out of sight around the corner, feeding scraps to the stray alley cats!
These are all so beautiful. I really identify with the painting of that couple in back of their old house, next to a grove of trees, watching their dog running in the tall grass. The happy dog reminds me very much of one I lost some yrs ago that I think runs like this in some heavenly field. Thanks for this tonight. ~~ D.K.
what is with the weather? It has been pretty warm in ND, no snow in December? I like the art as well
Thank You wonderful lady for these excellent videos.
I took this "magical mystery tour" as Lennon would phrase it through the eyes of Hopper who captures on canvas what most of us take for granted about life.
Througout, I was impressed with the artist's ability to project a range of emotions through his subject's poses. Among them were feelings such as comtemplation, dejection, bewilderment and desire.
My favorite was in the second video which didn't have humans in it at all. It was a landscape with a sunset as a backdrop and a steeple tower in the foreground. It captivates those that encounter it inviting them to look deeply within its colors for the meaning of the universe.
I came away thinking Hooper was contrasting a man made creation (steeple) against the work of a higher deity (sunset) and asking us to judge which was better.
Please do more of this, Enigma. It was a welcome brief escape from the anxieties created by Bush, Rumsfeld, Cheney, etc ....
I now have a positive perspective going into Christmas knowing artists like Hooper want to present us with a more realistic portrayal of life and not the fantasy world Dubya lives in.
P.S to the Cafe ... in my previous critiqe I misspelled the artists last name.
It's Hopper rather than Hooper. I wrote my comment early Saturday morning when I should've been in bed.
The You Tube video of his work was soooooo magnificent I had to offer an opinion though.
Please accept my apology. I'll retreat to the warmth of my bed now.
Peace,
Cosmic
These are great. Wish I had the patience to look through YT ; (
I'm the guy sitting alone with his back towards ya, although I'd never wear a hat, baseball or otherwise ; )
Speaking of weird weather...here in Maine we've only had 3-4 inches of snow and November/December have mainly been in the 50s!!! Weird indeed...
e4e: Thanks so much for 'digging' this up you, you cultural anthropologist, you!
If I am in the painting "Nighthawks," I am sitting at the other end of the counter on the extreme right, just out of view. I thought the further from the huge glass panes which provide nothing for the privacy I am so desperately seeking would also be draftier from customers exiting the front door. But from somewhere near where I'm sitting comes a draft from the back of the room even colder--maybe it's the draft of emptiness--making me ask for a refill on my cooling coffee as I now wish I'd been more 'up front' with the others.
Privacy's safe there as well because none of the alienated are speaking to each other, leaving me ample time to ponder what might have happened had I been bolder and sat near the alluring redhead, seated way to close to the business suit. I can't change seats now, I haven't the moxie for such courageousness.
But what if I'd plunked myself down closer, just across the counter from her? How would I have dared open a conversation with everyone overhearing? Maybe I could have been subtle; maybe done it silently. Maybe by removing my overcoat to reveal my Glen Campbell T-shirt underneath?
Hopper's wonderfully evocative depictions remind me so much of the movie, "The Last Picture Show," especially some of the cold and lonely scenes (black and white no less) peppered sparsely with characters leading lives of quiet desperation. Very powerful imagery!
p.s. While I hope I didn't sound too desolate in my little corner of the Hopper painting, I am not totally depressive. There's another redhead sitting back here. Strangely she's smuggling leftover scraps off unwashed plates to stray alley cats. I watch with some amusement and glee having, as I have, discovered the open back door and source of the draftiness that keeps cooling my coffee.
DADA: I just knew you would be sitting in the back by the door with that redhead DK and tending to the kiddies...oh you are killing me with the Glen Cambell t-shirt....OMG you figured out the Last Picture Show connection- one of my FAVORITE movies of all time...wow...and you are so right that Hopper embraces and captures that in his Contrasts...
Kay: I know definently the strangest winter....but I am not complaining...
Coffee Messiah:Ah, yes I have a YouTube addiction- I spend every friday night there...I am soooooo hooked. So you are sitting with your back to me eh? well we will have to do something about that...No hat ? hmm, pictured you as kind of a Hat Fellow...
Cosmic: Glad you liked the gallery ;-) And yup I have a whole bunch more picked out...but it is always nice to look at art and listen to musci with friends....and I did think we all needed a little respite from Bushco.
Graeme: hmm, better get you some more coffee....still sleeping eh? So weather weird there in the Dakotas too..wow...
DK: Thanks for coming- so you and Dada back with the kitties- that makes sense...but don't be shy...I love now seeing the man&woman& the dog..that really does give me a nice picture of you...
Brad: Hi there...welcome and more to come...
Peacechick: yup...we all ae in there...I think you are the woman in the hat with another woman in a hat at the table( in the video)...very stylish and smart...
Have a good Saturday all..Back tonight...with some more gems..
I'm the guy behind the counter. I brew the coffee and send it to you from the Bunn carafes. It's hot and dark and strong. I have lights for your smokes and an ear when you need to talk.
I'll tell that redhead that that gigilo in the fedora isn't good enough for a dame like her. I'll fill my night watchin' over the night people. That's what I'm doing now.
It's quarter to three, there's no one in the place, cept' you and me.
So, set em' up Joe. I know it's getting late and you want to go.
Make it one for my baby, and one more for the road.
This classic picture tells such a story. I can see it unfold so many ways. Somehow looks dismal and lonely, yet this is full of life for us "nighthawks".
Hey, e, thanks for the shout-out; I weathered the storm holed up with Gregory, a case of beer, and a bag-in-a-box-of-wine. We made it through with a few blinks but no blackouts on Queen Anne or back here in Belltown, but the folks further out from downtown took the brunt of it; a lot of them are still without power. I posted over at GA about it already; I'm so touched so many folks are thinking of us up here with all our weird weather. Thanks again for your thoughts; I'm fine, if a bit frazzled. Must focus again on getting this house rounded out so I can HIT THE ROAD, JACK! Tomorrow is anothah day.
Be talking to you soon, mi amiga.
Spadoman: thank you so much....that was lovely..so lovely.
MEL: so glad that you are okay...I have been worried about you...good to know you and G are okay up there...
I am the girl in the first photo, the one with the look of hoping for something big, really big.
That was a great slide show. Thanks Enigma.
I am so glad that Mel is okay.
Down with the christmas blues!
I'm in the painting too, well okay, I'm actually pulling into the parking lot outside getting ready to join you all! :-)
SUNDAY AFTERNOON.....3:49pm EST.
KAY: you come on in out of the cold dear- new pot of coffee is on..we have the TV on- because we are watching CNN and waiting to see if the Climbers are going to be rescued....( and the Browns are losing today- so we swtiched over to CNN)
Justin:Hey there - long time no see..I will make my infamous cinnamon toast now that you are here....
Pursey: I would recognize you anywhere...I love your hat and the way you look expectant standing on the steps...
You notice how many of us are waiting outside, waiting to get into the diner? It IS a bit cold out here tonight. I think I'll head inside & get some of spadoman's special blend to warm me up. Don't worry Dada, I'll close the door behind me, unless it's OK if a few of these alley cats follow me in? My hands may smell of tuna, better head to the washroom first.
and pursey, I thought you'd be the blonde waiting by the stairs in the movie theatre (frame 1:42)! that's just gotta be someone we know. ~~ D.K.
Hey there DK so here is the scoop...
there are so many good folks here this weekend...
so wonderful.
So Spado is behind the counter- hmmm, he just put a new pot of coffee on....some cinnamon...lovely.
Dada is off to the side...and a few folks have said that they are the man next to the redhead at the counter...
Pursey is the lovely in the video below - in the blue dress standing on the steps...
and
Divajood is the Lovely have a cigarette in the Movie Cinema hallway...
Spado is right ....we all are Nighthawks...have a good night ...I will be checking in later...
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