Art Conditioning Life
Two years ago and late at night, we were in a bar in the provinces in the Philippines - looking out over the deserted road below ...
... and - gradually- I became mesmerized by the scenes opposite ...
... though I wasn't sure exactly why ...
... beyond, partly, the obvious fascination of being aware of my seeing life conditioned through art ...
Edward Hooper 'Nighthawks' (1942)... but it was also that the scene provoked a whole raft of comfortably uncomfortable emotions that I didn't want to examine - just indulge!
BTW, the photos are enormous files and explode up if you click on them - and their haunting qualities are even more intense.
"Big Mak!" indeed.
ReplyDeleteYour photos are absolutely haunting. As is your characterization of "comfortably uncomfortable emotions" you chose to indulge rather than examine.
I think sometimes living the examined life means being aware of, and experiencing, rather than picking apart.
Thank you for this post.
hey paul in NYC
ReplyDeletethe urge to examine is one i constantly fight - and as i get a bit older i win much more often than i used to!
good to hear from you
best
nick
What a neat posting. I love Hooper and will see the original next month when I travel to Chicago. The Art Institute recently opened a new modern art wing and I'm anxious to explore.
ReplyDeletehi jackscribe
ReplyDeletethanks - good to be seeing the hooper next month - and like exploring new galleries or new additions to old ones - remember the first time i went to the new tate in london - old friends in a new home plus a lot of things out of the basement
hope the exploring goes well!
hi jackscribe
ReplyDeletethanks - good to be seeing the hooper next month - and like exploring new galleries or new additions to old ones - remember the first time i went to the new tate in london - old friends in a new home plus a lot of things out of the basement
hope the exploring goes well!