A Media Installation at Artechouse NYC and Washington DC.
Inspired by Edward Hopper's iconic 1942 painting and in response to a world where the company of strangers and friends at any place and social gatherings at the bar, in particular, have become memories of a time pre-pandemic. Noiland Collective's "NHKS4220" brings Hopper's iconic depiction of a downtown bar scene to life at a time perhaps equally infused by existential fears as the early 1940s. The United States had just entered WWII, and a feeling of anxiety and concern about the future was pervasive.
Today, our lives and daily routines have been upended. We live in a world of social distancing, isolation, uncertainty, climate change, and fierce bi-partisan fighting.
Bars are a place for solace, community, and conversation during troubled times. Still, many of them are currently closed or may never re-open.
We acknowledge that Hopper's painting has become a quintessential image of a downtown diner in the public's imagination. We chose to play out the scene in the painting as a living moment, both in the past and today, if bars were open.
Simultaneously, we want to acknowledge the illusion and hint at the past and present of computer-generated imagery through stylized transitional moments that provide an extra layer of movement and interactivity.
NHKS4220 is an homage to bars and diners and their pivotal societal function.
Credits:
Role: Creative Director
