Channel Hopper
Last night's episode of Mad Men, A Night To Remember: the final shot. Don Draper drinking a solitary Heineken in the kitchenette of his office, having been told by his cuckolded wife, Betty, not to come home ("I don't care what you do, I just don't want you here"). Anyone else seeing the work of a very famous American painter here? A New York-born painter whose work, focused often on single, stoic, reflective figures in still lives, predominantly urban and artificially lit, dealt with the loneliness of modern existence? (I know his most important work was painted in the 1940s and 50s, but what's a couple of decades between existentialists?)
posted by Andrew Collins @ 4:52 PM
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11 Comments:
Completely unrelated to the post, but may I just say thank you for one of the funniest podcasts so far. It had me in stitches last night. Especially Richard digging himself deeper and deeper when talking about the India / Pakistan crisis.
looks more like the artifice of that scottish born painter whose work often focusses on some middle-class whimsy/overtly immature male-driven sexual fantasy involving beaches, butlers and more often than not 'mother' figures in some form of undress or stockinged feet the like that is about nothing, says nothing and captures a complete load of nothing.
You're talking about Edward Hopper, surely?
Great, moody pictures. I think there was an exhibition of his work in London a couple of years back and I'm still kicking myself for missing it.
It was stunning, Putney. But the amazing thing about his work is how small a lot of it is, so looking at a nice coffee table book is a good substitute.
Thanks for pointing this out - I hadn't noticed the Hopper-ness of the shot till now, although I do think Mad Men is a very fine show. I read some reviews that seemed to think it's gone off the boil a bit in this second series - I don't agree myself but what does anyone else think?
Jo
This word may be overused, but the show is actually quite beautiful.
Don Draper really reminds me of my dad at that time, which I thought was just me but when my brother said it as well plus a family friend, then it had to be true.
Minus the shagging, but definitely with the job, the suits, hair, drinking and smoking. It's quite uncanny.
Andrew
Is this a quiz or are you asking? If the former what is the prize?
The answer is Edward Hopper, not from New York but wealthy middle class Hamiltons actually, suffered no angst but sure paints it.
Haven't blogged you in a long time since you wrote about our old senior school, my mate you illustrated for and my cousin's other half that you worked with, all strange as never met you!!
Shame about Not Going Out, never ralised you were heavily involved, very deadpan gag delivery, but enjoyed it all the same. Favourite comdey has recently been Harry and Paul, such a return to form, I know you work with Paul from time to time, were you writing on that too.
Cheers Sue
In 'Sad Men' - your post in March - a comment from that insightful little pipsqueak, Handsome Swineshead:
I suppose Mad Men has the sombre air of a Hopper painting in its styling and the troubled and unmotivated characters suggest they're overwhelmed, but essentially that's all implied.
*ahem*
Also - I don't think Hopper was an existentialist. Just a sad sod.
Stop tarring everyone with the same non-specific fractured philosophy!
If I didn't know better I'd think you were trying to wind me up.
To sum up:
'Miserable' does not = existentialist.
Ah, Edward Hopper. I remember my first year at drama school, taking part in a workshop that was exploring certain Hopper paintings and what might be going on in that snapshot. Very interesting as an introduction to Hopper’s work. And also, it has to be said, so very typically “drama studenty” in its earnest approach to what was going on in the protagonist’s mind and why they were there. Happy days... (!)
I was shocked by how small Nighthawks was when I came face to face with it, wandering around The Art Institute of Chicago years back. But then I had just been in another room looking at A Sunday on La Grande Jatte.
American Gothic, which was up on one of the walls, is bloody tiny too.
As for Mad Men... still genius.
Do you know you & herring are on the banner headline when you click on podcasts on iTunes? This is splendid news. I have been a day one podcast listener. 6 music is poorer place without you and Vic Mcglinn although Shaun Mckevnee is a class act. Keep on pushing on .
DOLPH74
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