Has the world become lonelier, or was it always so?
Edward Hopper’s paintings suggest, at least, that he saw the loneliness of his time. Or perhaps what he painted was his solitary nature.
Not everyone wants to join others. The difference between extroversion and introversion is often what fuels us and whether our interests require time alone.
The introvert’s inborn nature tends toward the latter. Depletion is the consequence of spending too much time in groups. The extrovert is different. He is energized by human contact that saps the former.
The one who avoids parties and needs days off from time in public is often misunderstood.
Does he stay away because he thinks himself better than others? He might be shy, but introverts require recharging.
Does he postpone getting together because he prioritizes writing or another solo task?
Does the public element of his day job leave him exhausted?
Serenity, calm, or a meditative state are unavailable in the active and interactive human world. It is a condition many wish for.
How do we understand those not like us (if we understand him at all)?
Consider Hopper’s New York Movie, just below. What do you see? Is the usher daydreaming? Worried? Lonely? Thinking about her boyfriend? Bored? Has she seen this film too many times?
Is she craving meaningful contact with others, or is she relieved to be by herself?
What basis do we use to determine this? Is it possible to get the correct answer based on this snapshot?
Now study Hopper’s painting Office at Night. It shows two people, one of whom appears preoccupied with his reading. He is turned away from the woman, indifferent to her.
Though opening or closing a file cabinet, the female faces the man. The typewriter suggests she might be the man’s secretary, as would have been a likely occupation for her in 1940.
But there is another consideration: she is young, pretty, and curvaceous, yet the man pays no attention to her.
What does this say about the pair? Again, we tend to make assumptions based on little data and our own history of making sense of the world. Is he married? Is he glued to what the paper says? Introverted? A workaholic? Will either one take action and engage the other? In what way? Will one of them regret what they do, say, or fail to do?
Depending on how you interpret many of Hopper’s canvases, you might believe you have an understanding of who his subjects are. You might be puzzled. Many conditions can be inferred: sadness, isolation, desperation, and expectation.
Ultimately, the observers—including you or me—exist outside of any activity within the art. Instead, we watch, think, and feel. We maintain a respectful distance from our art-loving neighbors because we are focused on the art and its message.
Do we shape ourselves into solitary, lonely, contemplative, active, or passive individuals? For the same price of admission, there might be other individuals who are by themselves. Doubtless, some are intelligent, puzzled, waiting for a companion, attractive, or any combination of these qualities.
And maybe one has noticed you.
The gallery allows you to create the world as you wish it to be. Anyone there has the capacity to bring a social event into being. Is your next best friend steps away? How about a momentary conversation partner, a person ill-suited to a discussion, an art student, or tonight’s dinner date?
What will you make of it? Do you realize it is yours to make? What does your presence, attire, stance, expression, or gait tell those nearby about you?
You are not a painting, but if those on the wall were watching you as you observe them, they’d have the chance to take your measure just as you draw conclusions about them.
The creations on display—their color, likenesses, and forms—wait for you to create what happens next.
As Shakespeare wrote, “All the world’s a stage … and one man in his time plays many parts.” Introverted, extroverted, or otherwise, it is your turn to choose and read your lines.
Life is not a rehearsal; it is, in every moment, a never-to-be-repeated performance.
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All of the Edward Hopper paintings are sourced from Edward Hopper.net/
From top to bottom, they are Hotel Lobby, New York Movie, Office at Night, and Automat.
Thanks for sharing this idea Anita
Not at all, Anita. Thank you for commenting.
I love the reminder you provide about observational bias, Dr. Stein. Hopper’s artwork makes me mull and “Office at Night” always appears —to me — as a collaboration in progress. The man at the desk is reading aloud and the woman at the file cabinet is searching for paperwork to address a problem or answer a question. The beauty of interpretation! Is my more extroverted view of the world at work? Wishful thinking about teamwork and equity? I’ve got thoughts about “New York Movie”, too. So fun to see and feel what emanates from artwork. ❤️
Your perspective is always appreciated and often different than I find elsewhere, Vicki, which makes it all the more valuable.
In the case of Hopper, I’ve watched a couple of documentaries and spoken about him to a retired, long-time Chicago Tribune art critic. The most prevalent opinion appears to be that Hopper is touching solitude and estrangement.
Another view that is voiced is the one of introverts who have self-respect and are not shy, but often prefer to be solitary.
As I look at many of his works, conversation is rarely occuring, smiles are absent, though there is often the possibility of a next step, with no guarantee that it will be taken. The seated fellow is quite sober in “Office at Night.” Only the young woman (it seems to me) might be inviting a next step, but since he is not looking at her and neither is speaking, we have to do the work to get them to engage.
Nothing I’ve encountered takes your view, but I am no scholar of art criticism. if you find any respected art critic who views the painting the same way you do, I’d love to hear about it. Thanks, as always!
I’m smiling. I have no reason other than my own interpretation and imagination to draw the conclusion I did – looking at whatever an artist provides and wondering/wandering off on my own. 😉
This was truly an interesting examination Dr. Stein. As a decided introvert who does crave that alone time to recharge yet who can be a chosen extrovert as needed and desired it was quite fun to look a bit more deeply into Hopper’s art and let those two perspectives have a voice!
Besides the paintings being very evocative of a specific era I don’t see loneliness in any of them… necessarily. There are 2 that I could create that sense of “alone and lonely” as being apparent, but I choose not to- seeing rather 2 separate women each in deep thought but fully comfortable where they are at the moment.
I think that I will be looking more more closely now when you include Hopper’s art in your posts just to see what may jump out at me 🙂
Thanks, Deb. Part of the question is how much we put into our perception, not just in viewing these paintings, but also what is happening in everyday events, human contact and in the big picture of the world. Some authorities on the subject, especially philosophers, maintain that the world does not exist as one thing, but rather as a function of how our perception of it shapes it. I tend to be persuaded by this opinion enough to be troubled by it. I appreciate how you described what you made of the paintings and am always grateful for your thoughtfulness.
As always, Dr. Stein, you tackle the question raised from all possible angles. I’m one of those individuals who enjoys the company of others, but need alone time to recharge and take stock of what’s going on around me. Life must’ve been less lonely for our primitive ancestors who instinctively knew that their survival depended upon banding/bonding together within their small groups/tribes. So much as changed since we became urban dwellers, living in vast metropoles where we intersect with strangers in public spaces, that life has become lonelier.
I’ve observed in my own life that when I was busy doing God’s work or working to provide for myself and sons, I had no time to notice how lonely I was. The lockdown during the Covid19 pandemic changed all that. I believe that we’re still recovering from those days of acute awareness of how lonely we truly are, even in those cases when we were not alone.
I think you understand the loneliness dilemma, as it revealed itself during the pandemic and, according to a great number of commentators, has been growing, Rosaliene. The dystopia seems to have visited our children with the most powerful and unfortunate impact, and a book by Jonathan Haidt on the subject is being released this week.
Yes, small groups and many dangers created the necessity of social bonding. Cities, transportation, distance and the decline of religion further pulled us apart. We live in a troubled time for these and other reasons, as you know well.
Thank you, as always, for your awareness and for the courage not to fabricate optimism in such a way as to encourage others to hide their own worries about a world that needs them to act and improve it.
Thanks for mentioning Haidt’s book. I’ll check it out.
Ah, life as art and art as life. Open to so much interpretation.
I love how you wrote this using Hopper’s paintings to examine our tendencies and opportunities. A great vehicle to better understand who we are and how we can engage with others.
A never-repeated performance. Brilliant conclusion!
Thank you, Wynne. I am happy to know you enjoyed it. Just be careful if the painted figures start looking back at you,!
I find it interesting to read and hear of others’ interpretations of art, for we each bring our own preconceptions and world ideas.
His works certainly do evoke ideas of solitude, and in those years, there was a lot of pressure on artists and photographers to create works that were deemed “pretty”, yet some were determined not to follow what society wanted. To search to capture emotions, particularly difficult ones, was seen as being edgy, yet for artists it was vitally important to explore and to delve into those depths.
Sounds like you are an art aficionado, Tamara! I am pleased to know more about your interests that, from your writing, already sound wide.
I love to create, and embrace many mediums. My art can be seen on Fine Art America: https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/tamara-kulish/collections/tamaras+paintings+and+artwork
I visit our local Art Museum and bring artist friends to different exhibits. We live to discuss potential states of minds of the artists when viewing.
I am impressed! You are a woman of many talents!
Love Edward Hopper’s work… and appreciate your thought provoking questions, Gerald.
Thanks, Frank. None of us can go too far wrong taking Socrates and his endless questions as a model.