newcritics - Latest Comments in Edward Hopper: “American-ness”

Re: Edward Hopper: “American-ness”

Jason Chervokas — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 09:11:23 -0000

Very interesting. I need to learn more about what was in Hopper's head. Love the pictures in any event.

Re: Edward Hopper: “American-ness”

Kevin Wolf — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 08:14:34 -0000

Jason, though I think Hopper did capture a vision of America, I don't think that was really his intent. At least, I don't feel that way when I'm in the presence of the pictures rather than looking in a book.

And my guess is he'd be even more embarrassed to be lumped in with illustration and comic books in these poet-modern days, and feel the same about being linked to Wyeth.

Re: Edward Hopper: “American-ness”

Jason Chervokas — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 07:20:23 -0000

Kevin,

Hopper always struck me as at least as self-consciously capturing a vision of Americana as anyone else. And I dig it. Gotta get up to MA or down to DC for the show.

I hear he hated to think of himself as an illustrator, and in his era it was kiss of death stuff for someone w/ real, artistic ambitions; but its interesting to wonder if now, in the post Warhol era, when high and low art have merged, and comic book art occupies gallery walls, Hopper would be just as embarrassed by his illustrator's origins.

I always thought of Hopper in the same way I thought of great American visual observers and cataloguers--like Robert Frank, or Walker Evans--but maybe in the end his approach has more in common w/, say, Andrew Wyeth's--it's psychological, aesthetic, and self-conscious Americana all at the same time.