Experiment 2: Room and Narrative
"Lonley journalist struggles to maintain his professionalism despite temptations in the workplace"
"Lonley journalist struggles to maintain his professionalism despite temptations in the workplace"
Monday, May 10, 2010
About the painting
Edward Hopper's inspiration for this piece occured while travelling on the train at night. He claimed that he would get glimpses of such scenes when the train passed by these illuminated office buildings.
The painting shows a male sitting at his desk, focused on his work and a lady, probably his sectetary, who is standing near a filing cabinet.
While he seems to be concentrating on the task at hand, she is looking down. Maybe she is staring at him but its more likely she is staring at the peice of paper lying near the desk.
That peice of paper lying on the ground between them suggests a disorderly space.
The family functions to contain the biological impulses of reproduction, however, often this spills into the workplace. Here it threatens to subvert the orders of rationalized production.
It is quite clear what this painting is suggesting but what are these two coworkers thinking?
The Sectetary may be wondering what could happen if she kneels down to pick up the peice of paper. Will he move to pick it up at the same time? Will their eyes meet?
The man on the other hand is in the authorotive role, he can either maintain his professionalism and resist temptation or give in to the forbidden satisfaction.
The painting shows a male sitting at his desk, focused on his work and a lady, probably his sectetary, who is standing near a filing cabinet.
While he seems to be concentrating on the task at hand, she is looking down. Maybe she is staring at him but its more likely she is staring at the peice of paper lying near the desk.
That peice of paper lying on the ground between them suggests a disorderly space.
The family functions to contain the biological impulses of reproduction, however, often this spills into the workplace. Here it threatens to subvert the orders of rationalized production.
It is quite clear what this painting is suggesting but what are these two coworkers thinking?
The Sectetary may be wondering what could happen if she kneels down to pick up the peice of paper. Will he move to pick it up at the same time? Will their eyes meet?
The man on the other hand is in the authorotive role, he can either maintain his professionalism and resist temptation or give in to the forbidden satisfaction.
Narrative
Similar to Hopper's painting the narrative is also set inside an office.
The subject is a solitary Journalist who spends most of his time working in his office and has little contact with the outside world. He has hidden himself away into the darkest place in his office with the arrangement of the bookcase and the curtain and can only see light seeking in past the books and the slated window which hides the kitchen.
In this story the temptaion no longer takes human form. The smells coming from the kitchen and the natural light coming from the well glazed kitchen will catch his attention.
The light at the end of the hallway reveales a flight of stairs to a hidden room will make him curiously want to wander down.
But the slanted cieling of the hallway will force him to crawl on his knees to reach the stair. This gesture intends to breach the professionalism that he is so intent on maintaining.
As in Hopper's painting the subject is confronted with a choice.......
The subject is a solitary Journalist who spends most of his time working in his office and has little contact with the outside world. He has hidden himself away into the darkest place in his office with the arrangement of the bookcase and the curtain and can only see light seeking in past the books and the slated window which hides the kitchen.
In this story the temptaion no longer takes human form. The smells coming from the kitchen and the natural light coming from the well glazed kitchen will catch his attention.
The light at the end of the hallway reveales a flight of stairs to a hidden room will make him curiously want to wander down.
But the slanted cieling of the hallway will force him to crawl on his knees to reach the stair. This gesture intends to breach the professionalism that he is so intent on maintaining.
As in Hopper's painting the subject is confronted with a choice.......
The site
The office is located inside a cliff overlooking the ocean. The picture was taken at Coogee Beach but it could be located on any similar site.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
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