Why this publication is called Soir Bleu
Soir Bleu is Edward Hopper’s most ambitious painting and yet, according to The Whitney Museum’s chosen expert (Dr. Rick Brettell), it’s an odd painting for Hopper — he usually painted cityscapes or landscapes up until that point.
I find the painting oddly inspiring. It invokes a subtle feeling that something is off (look at those characters!) and yet the overarching sense that life, when all is said and done, is fine. The overarching beauty of life is encapsulated by the titular blue evening with its reassuring backdrop.
This contradiction describes well my current view of life: Our society and possibly each one of us is deeply troubled by an increasingly difficult personal, social, economic and political situation. Instead of fighting these troubles, their resolution may lie in each one of us and all of us collectively recognizing the beautiful blue evening backdrop of life… and familiarizing ourselves with it.
February 4, 2024
