THE TM 911 Franklin Street Weekly Newspaper Michigan City, IN 46360 Volume 24, Number 10 Thursday, March 13, 2008 Edward Hopper, Modern Master by Barbara Stodola Despite their simple appearance, Edward Hopper’s paint- ings suggest more than meets the eye. In the 41 years since the artist’s death, his work has become more widely debated, more popular and, strange to say, even more modern than during his lifetime. Hopper was an enigma. Coming of age in the exciting atmo- sphere of early-20th century abstraction, Hopper held fast to a realist tradition. In an era dominated by theoretical art-talk, he spoke about his own art very little. “The only real infl uence I’ve ever had is myself,” he once told a museum director. This remark confounded the legions of art critics who would try to pigeon-hole his work into a historical system. The Art Institute of Chicago, which owns his famous “Night- hawks” (1942), is currently showcasing Hopper’s work oppo- site that of Winslow Homer, another quintessentially Ameri- can painter; and the contrasts between the two artists invite comparisons. While Homer immersed himself in the sun-fi lled outdoors, Hopper created somber interior scenes. If Homer’s paintings call to mind the writings of Mark Twain, Hopper’s Edward Hopper, portrayed in his dark shirt evoke the suspenseful mood of Hollywood’s fi lm noir. and fedora, resembles a character from an Continued on Page 2 Alfred Hitchcock fi lm. Hopper “Nighthawks” (1942), Hopper’s most famous painting, conveys an aura of mystery and foreboding. THE Page 2 March 13, 2008 THE 911 Franklin Street • Michigan City, IN 46360 219/879-0088 • FAX 219/879-8070 In Case Of Emergency, Dial e-mail: News/Articles - [email protected] email: Classifieds - [email protected] http://www.thebeacher.com/ PRINTED WITH Published and Printed by TM Trademark of American Soybean Association THE BEACHER BUSINESS PRINTERS Delivered weekly, free of charge to Birch Tree Farms, Duneland Beach, Grand Beach, Hidden 911 Shores, Long Beach, Michiana Shores, Michiana MI and Shoreland Hills. The Beacher is also Subscription Rates delivered to public places in Michigan City, New Buffalo, LaPorte and Sheridan Beach. 1 year $38 6 months $21 3 months $13 1 month $6.50 Hopper Continued from Page 1 The composition of “Nighthawks” is defi ned by a large corner window, which separates the dark and empty city street from the starkly illuminated coffee shop. Indoors, a waiter and three customers, one with his back to us, are quietly absorbed in their own business. It is a mysterious and haunting image, one that poses more questions than it answers. The man in the fedora, beside the woman, looks familiar. He re- sembles the self-portrait Hopper did some years earlier, a solemn visage with shadowed eyes, standing in a stairwell beside a closed door. Hopper, in his self-portrait, looks out at us. The faces drawn from the artist’s imagination, however, do not look out at us. Hopper created an entire world of self-absorbed individuals, solitary fi gures or couples who are not paying attention to us or to each other. They may be looking at a book, a newspaper, or a cup of coffee. Often they are gazing out the win- dow. The window is Hopper’s favorite compo- sitional device -- a window with curtains fl uttering or shades drawn tight, a window through which you can see a naked woman or a disheveled hotel room or a chop suey sign. You can’t help attaching some mean- ing to these windowed scenes, or symbol- ism, or some narrative that continues be- yond the edge of the canvas. You often feel like a voyeur, peeking in at a moment in- tended to be private. “Room in New York” (1932), glimpsed through an open window, reveals a couple out of touch with one another. “Early Sunday Morning” shows a row of windows above store-fronts and, even though no people are out and about, you have a strong sensa- tion of something going on behind those windows that will soon spill out onto the street. Even the house- portraits that Homer did took on an anthropomorphic character, with shuttered windows, like closed eyes, concealing their secrets. A street deserted except for its barber pole, fi re hydrant and shaded windows tells the story of “Early Sunday Morning” (1930.) THE March 13, 2008 Page 3 Open ‘til 6 p.m. Evenings www.littlehousefashions.comElegant Apparel for the [email protected] Conscious Woman Women’s Apparel Spring has sprung at “House by the Railroad” (1925) maintains an aura of days-gone-by, intensifi ed by its platform of railroad tracks going by. “House By The Railroad” is a three-story man- sard-roofed structure with a taller tower, rising to its Little House full height above railroad tracks. Hopper frequently incorporated elements from railroads, highways and bridges into his paintings -- lending a sense of travel to his imaginary world. He vacationed along Fashions! the Eastern seaboard at Truro, Maine, and Glouces- ter, Mass., painting lighthouses and, occasionally, fi shing vessels. A great part of his subject matter was drawn from New York City, where he resided most of his life. SALE is still on. Stop by before the sale merchandise A tempting array of food is being arranged, in this tableau viewed through the restaurant window, in a painting entitled “Tables for Ladies” (1930.) is all gone. Hopper made his living as a commercial artist af- ter studying at the Chase School of Art (later the New York School of Art), which had been founded Prices are marked to sell. by Indiana native-artist William Merritt Chase. In 1906-1907 Hopper spent eight months painting in 409409 Alexander StreetStreet, LaPorte, IN 326-8602 Paris, but he claimed to have met “nobody” there, On Hwy 35 - 5 Blocks South of Lincolnway TurnTurn Rightright on AlexanderAlexander and heard nothing about Picasso. He went back to Monday-FridayMonday - Friday10 am 9:30to 6 pmto 7 Saturday Saturday 9:30 9:30 am to to5 5 pm Hopper Continued on Page 4 THE Page 4 March 13, 2008 Hopper Continued from Page 3 New York magazine illustrator and later was drawn Paris in 1909 and again in 1910, his third and fi nal to isolated locations along the East coast. He too did trip to Europe. Years later he said, “In my day you most of his work indoors, putting his paintings to- had to go to Paris. Now you can go to Hoboken; it’s gether from notes and memory. And, although many just as good.” 20th century artists were using photography as a In 1924, at the age of 42, Hopper married his girl- visual aid, Hopper found it not helpful. friend, Josephine Nivison. She was an artist and In 1965 Hopper did his last painting. It depict- also his model. The couple lived in the New York ed his wife and himself, both dressed in white cos- apartment he had fi rst rented in 1913, and contin- tumes, standing on stage and bowing to an unseen ued living there until his death in 1967. They had audience. It was entitled “Two Comedians.” no children. The current exhibit of Edward Hopper’s work, Like Winslow Homer, the foremost American art- including paintings from the Museum of Fine Arts, ist half-a-century earlier, Hopper was an asocial in- Boston, and the National Gallery of Art, will contin- dividual who was indifferent to the avant-garde of ue at the Art Institute of Chicago through May 11. his own generation. He too began his career as a In 1934, Hopper added “House on Pamet River” Two young women share a table, mutely, in “Chop Suey” (1929), to his repertoire of shuttered houses. one of several scenes Hopper painted of restaurants. During his vacations along the East coast, Hopper painted “Captain Upton’s House” (1927) and other lighthouses. In “New York Movie” (1939), a contemplative usherette stands outside the area of the darkened theatre. THE March 13, 2008 Page 5 Saint Anthony Memorial has been recognized for outstanding quality by the following: • 2007 Chanute Award for Team Innovation from the Society of Innovators. The SSFHS Six Sigma performance improvement team achieved success in highly reducing the incidence of ventilator-acquired pneumonia through evidence-based care practices and teamwork. • The American College of Surgeons Commission On Cancer awarded the cancer care program a Full, Three-Year Approval with Commendation in 2006. Only 25% of all hospitals nationwide receive this commendation. • Healthcare’s “Most Wired” Winner 2006 by the American Hospital Association for improvement in information technology • HealthPartners: voted best medical group by the readers of Northwest Indiana Business Quarterly for 2005 • Saint Anthony Memorial: voted best health care provider by the readers of Northwest Indiana Business Quarterly for 2005 • WorkingWell: voted best occupational health care provider by the readers of Northwest Indiana Business Quarterly for 2006 and 2007 • Named “Gold Hospital” for 2008 by the Indiana Organ Procurement Organization. Saint Anthony Memorial is the only hospital in the State that qualified for this honor. Saint Anthony Memorial actively participates in the following quality initiatives: • Lean Six Sigma • Anthem Hospital Quality Improvement Program • Institute for Healthcare Improvement “100K Lives” Rapid Response Team THE Page 6 March 13, 2008 Marquette Scores at Cheer Competition On March 1, Marquette Catholic High School’s tendance, as well as school administrators, teach- Cheer Squad performed in the Greater South Shore ers, parents and students. Conference Cheer Competition at Wheeler High Cheerleaders Courtney Gushrowski, Brie Hussey School. This was Marquette’s fi rst competition and and Angela Kolodiej were named to the All-Confer- the girls took a very commendable 3rd place.