Items

2020-04-06

Hopper Life Filter

I have included this photo as it reminded me so strongly, on the night I took that photo, of Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks (1942). For some reason I have always found the colour palette and story of that particular painting to be really soothing and calming, and it has always been one of my favourite painting for that reason even though by genre and artist it falls well outside my usual area of interest. I remember reading something years ago which described the scenes depicted in Hopper’s artworks in this period as depicting liminal social spaces, characterised by public spaces designed for crowds (cafes, hotels lobbies, restaurants etc.) which are nearly empty and in between phases of activity, and this whole year has felt like one giant Hopper painting that I can’t escape from. I looked at a bunch of his paintings again whilst deciding what to say about this moment, and the painting Automat (1927) is one I have always identified with in a really positive way being both rather introverted and a ritual tea drinker. When I was looking at his paintings again and saw it however, I felt such a strange rush of both sadness and anxiety and I can’t help but feel like my enjoyment of Hopper’s paintings in this period has been ruined forever, though hopefully my feelings about the paintings will swing in the opposite direction again as I age and change myself, as great art is wont to do.

2020-04-06

Tasmanian premier clears Easter Bunny to enter the state

HUM402 A light-hearted gesture to combat all of the negative news and loss of a traditional Easter holiday for many. Even though travel was prohibited, Easter egg hunts were still something to be looked forward to.

A group of police officers standing outside a hotel.

2020-04-06

Guarding the Travelodge

Police and Military personnel guard the Travelodge Hotel in Surry Hills, NSW, Australia. At the start of the lockdown due to COVID19, travellers returning to Australia were subject to mandatory quarantine for 14 days and were assigned hotels. They were isolated in rooms and police and army personnel guarded the premises around the clock.