European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 28, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Art shows Edward hoppers works on exhibit in Frankfurt by de reams staff writer the Frankfurt Schirn museum in conjunction with new York s Whitney museum is showing works by american artist Edward Hopper 10821967 until feb. 14. Europeans consider Hopper the creator of one of modern Art s supreme icons nighthawks a painting that is not included in this exhibition. Hopper is also called a Model for Many modern photographers with his minimalist style and 1 concentration on a few objects. A St year s Hopper exhibit in Essen underscored this influence by combining a show of his works with that of 10 prominent modern american photographers . Lee Friedlander Paul Outerbridge and Joel Meyerowitz. The Frankfurt exhibit shows Hopper s development and work from the beginning through the late period in paintings drawings and graphic works and illustrations. In All his works Hopper limits his focus to the portrayal of a few things scenes and constellations. This is interpreted As the portrayal of an inner reality of things and people which expresses his own rejection of abstract painting. Hopper was born in 1882 in Nyack n.y., on the Hudson River just North of new York City. He grew up in a Middle class Anglo Saxon puritanical environment. In ,1899, following his parents advice he began training As a commercial Illustrator. A year later he transferred to the new York school of Art. It was there he met Robert Henri whom he called his most important  had a More philosophical than practical influence on his style Hopper said in his writings. Hopper said Henri s philosophy was Quot Art is life an expression of life an expression of the artist and an interpretation of  Hopper s paintings during his student Days Are dominated by the dark earthy colors that Henri recommended for expressing a compressed atmosphere. Works such As croup of musicians in an orchestra Fyt 19 m or still life with earthenware903are reminiscent of Goya or Rembrandt. The Young woman in a studio 1901painter and Model 1904 or solitary figure in a theater 1902 arc nearly bluish monochrome like film negatives. During this period Hopper painted Little beyond the models in the school and his fellow students at work. After leaving Henri s class Hopper worked mainly outdoors and in his studio began improvising with a combination of actual and imaginary scenes . Riverboat 1909gloucester Harbor 1912. Hopper also went through a period of intense study of the european old masters in new York s museums and made several extended trips to Europe. He first visited Paris in 1906, and his paintings of the time Are almost exclusively the dark monochrome of his student Days. A year later his work shows the influence of the French impressionists his Brush strokes became Shorter and his formerly somber colors became pastels much in the manner of Renoir Sisley and Monet. Examples from this period Are Leparc de Saint Cloud 1907 and the Pond do Carousel in the fog 1907. Hopper later said that the Light he experienced in Paris was different from everything he had Ever seen. After Short visits to Berlin and Brussels Hopper returned to new York in 1907, where he worked As an Illustrator for an advertising Agency and painted pictures with american As Well As european motives. Back Home his paintings took on the familiar Darker colors and he distanced himself from the influence of the French impressionists. In 1909, Hopper visited Paris again and painted pictures that have the familiar Hopper touch and style the play of Light and shadows larger areas of color with a unified Structure . Riverboat. Experts claim Hopper s style came into its own in 1915, when he began using the elements now associated with his paintings the frontal View parallel to the Bottom Edge of the painting the Diagonal wedge and the extreme viewer s perspective. Hopper s use of Light now became Clear and intensive and his manipulation of Light and Shadow enlivened his paintings As in Yonkers 1916 or the later Ope cod Sunset 1934. Two of the exhibits at the Edward Hopper show in Frankfurt Are Quot second Story sunlight left from 1960 and Quot hotel window Quot from 19s6. Hopper influences modern photographers but he himself was influenced by the Early photographers whom he encountered while studying the works of Degas. The Hopper style is interpreted As illustrations of Man s estrangement from society and his and inherent loneliness in the modern world. The facial expressions Are Blank and open to endless interpretation All sad or tragic and that would seem to be the key to the fascination of his works. The painting a woman in the Sun 1961 is not just sunning herself for the viewer but has something on her mind and the viewer makes up the Story. The woman in the red dress and hat on the Couch looking out the dark window in hotel window 1956 seems to be waiting for the viewer to invent a Story. Seven . Is a Bright storefront with a Wall clock showing 7 o clock. To the left in the background there s a Forest in the Shade. Anything can happen Here that the viewer cares to imagine and the viewer has the impression if he or she Waits Long enough something will happen. The Frankfurt exhibition uses some 170 paintings Watercolours and drawings from Hopper s life s work to Trace his development Over the Span of his career. The Schirn museum is just off Frankfurt s City Hall Square Zflmer. Admission is 8 Marks for adults about $5 6 Marks for students about $4. The Catalon costs 38 Marks about $24 and is Only available in German. The museum is open monday from 2 to 6 ., tuesday through Friday from 10 . To 10  And saturday sunday and holidays from 10 . To 7 .longer hours set for Italy a museums from wire reports there s some Good news for Italy s state museums and for All those disappointed Art Loving tourists who have encountered what s perhaps the most common word on italian signs a Chiuso closed. I he italian Senate recently gave final approval to a Law which will allow museums to stay open afternoons As Well As mornings. I he Law also allows museums to open cafes and gift shops to sell Cata logs books and souvenirs. Under the Law custodians guards and other museum personnel May be shifted from one museum to another depending pm need. Quot cutlery from the bauhaus and Art Deco Era Quot is on display until March 31 at the bested museum Bodo club Burgauer 68, in Cologne Germany. Pictured Are pieces from Munich about 1930. 22 stripes Magazine january Jove