Holiday Gift Guide – Day 23 – A Trip to the Edward Hopper Exhibit


Edward Hopper Exhibit – National Gallery of Art – Washington DC – Through January 21, 2008

For the hard-to-shop-for person on your list I have a gift idea today which they will remember for the rest of their life.

The National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC is currently showing the work of American artist Edward Hopper and it is a show not to be missed. With art on loan for this exhibition from galleries from around the globe, it is unlikely you will have the opportunity to view this amazing body of work again all in one place.

Edward Hopper transforms everyday images into dramatic, emotionally charged moments in time. As stated in the program for this show, “Hopper’s art speak volumes without uttering a word.”


Automat – Edward Hopper – 1927

The modern lady and I had the opportunity to view this exhibit early last month and we walked through it almost in a daze. From painting to painting the emotions swelled as we examined the work in an almost voyeuristic manner. Hopper’s work inserts the viewer so deeply into a painting that a voyeur is exactly how one feels. It is as though you are viewing a very private and personal moment – and you are.


Room in New York – Edward Hopper – 1932


Summer – Edward Hopper – 1943

In Room in New York the distance between to the two figures in their tiny room seems vast and the tension between them is palpable. It is, in my opinion, one of the finest works.

Of course, the exhibit all leads up to the iconic Nighthawks and the opportunity to view this fabulous work of art would alone be worth the trip to Washington.


Nighthawks – Edward Hopper – 1942

A trip to see this exhibition would be the gift of a lifetime and one you should consider for that very special person in your life.  The exhibition closes on January 21st.  Admission to the National Gallery of Art is free.

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