Known for his intricate and enigmatic renderings of mid-20th century American life, realist painter Edward Hopper has influenced not just painters, but photographers as well. Join us in this session to discover his impact on photography at DECK’s monthly library event, and sit in for a private film screening of Hopper's Silence as well.

About the film:

How do you make a movie about Edward Hopper? The artist—famous for his haunting and enigmatic paintings such as Nighthawks and New York Movie—was conspicuously taciturn, speaking little about his work, giving few interviews, and keeping to a small circle closely monitored by his protective wife, Jo. When the Academy of Arts and Letters awarded Hopper its gold medal for painting, he gave a one-word speech: “Thanks.” Upon Hopper’s death in 1967, eight people came to his funeral.

Artist and author Brian O’Doherty, a longtime friend of Hopper’s, was one of those eight. So when he set out to make a documentary about the artist, he had no desire to transgress Hopper’s silence. Instead, he embraced it. The result was the 1981 film Hopper’s Silence, a meditative visual essay that explores the majestic quiet that characterizes the characters, rooms, and streets in Hopper’s paintings, as well as the artist himself.

Initial release: October 5, 1981
Director: Brian O'Doherty
Genre: Documentary film
Duration: 47 mins