Nighthawks, Early Hours

Artist Statement: The original Nighthawks painting by Edward Hopper is an easily recognizable piece representing a snapshot in time during the early-to-mid nineteenth century. One’s eyes are drawn to the inside of the diner, where four individuals sit drinking and basked in a dull yellow light. Where the presence of beings brings life and energy to Hopper’s painting, my adaptation of the scene takes on a more isolated, languid air, contributed to by the lonesome streetlight and vacant shops. I admire the candidness that exists in this scene, where no matter what time of day is captured, things in the foreground (such as the featured 1948 Mercury Coupe) are merely passing through while the background remains consistent. Nighthawks, Early Hours highlights how the same feelings of elegance and brevity can be preserved even in a different snapshot of time.