Free Prayers at the Beach

Your essay reminds me of a painting that a son-in-law had hanging in his kitchen in Dallas, TX. The painting is famous and hangs in an art gallery in Chicago I believe. The painting depicts a man and a women sitting together with their faces toward the viewer and another individual in profile. This scene is in a late night café located in an angular intersection of two streets that define the geometry of the café. The lighting is just luminous enough to allow you to distinguish the individuals depicted. I recall my instant response to the scene depicted – just how alone in the universe are we all, those who can comprehend, realize. Your description of the coffee shop scene reminded me vividly of my reaction to that painting. Thanks again!

Posted by Hugh Smith at February 16, 2005 6:17 PM

You are very welcome. Thanks for that description of the painting. Sounds like Hopper.

Posted by Gerard Van Der Leun at February 16, 2005 7:22 PM

Hopper's "Nighthawks".

Posted by P.A. Breault at February 16, 2005 9:01 PM

its the socal syndrome -- needing to be special, to be noticed. used to be a l.a. thing, now the entire region is afflicted.

what's it like to live in laguna, these days ? i used to work in a liquor store on pch; gives one a kind of inside look at what goes on in a town.

Posted by cjm at February 16, 2005 10:20 PM

The wonder of the web that helps to tweak the mature moments of my misplaced memory. Yes, it is Nighthawks by Hopper. And Google provided the following URL that includes the painting and a text description from “Sister Wendy’s American Masterpieces”. http://www.artchive.com/artchive/H/hopper/nighthwk.jpg.html


Posted by Hugh Smith at February 17, 2005 4:31 AM

a kitchen
is an odd place
to hang an oil painting.

i guess it was
a painting of a diner.

-doc

Posted by doc at February 17, 2005 12:52 PM

Doc, No he is a manic/depressive very bright with a terrific country singing voice and when he sets his mind to something becomes annoyingly intense. He has restored a couple of Victorian style homes, formed a band and managed to piss me off on two occasions. Since I have retired from the Army, I have given up the killing game otherwise it might have happened. Maybe its because he graduated from Texas A&M.
BTW in one of his manic phases he took an art appreciation course – hence the Nighthawk in the kitchen. He is also a gourmet cook who apparently needs a lot of inspiration.

Posted by Hugh Smith at February 17, 2005 3:05 PM

Hugh -

that Hopper had to be worth a bit of cash.

my comment was regarding the
costs of restoration services
(good old hambuger grease and all that).

as i've heard it put,
engineers are "Convergent Thinkers"...and...
arty-types are "Divergent Thinkers".
some of them never stop "diverging".
the better ones seem to keep it in check,
somewhat,imo.

it seems musicians are both gifted/afflicted
on a fairly consistent basis.

-doc

Posted by doc at February 17, 2005 9:33 PM

It would have been a wonderful place to have prayers.I gonna make it.
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