On long summer drives through central Indiana, my eyes often dart to the side of the road. Nestled neatly back into a wooded grove or displayed in the full glory of a cornfield, they’re easy to spot - motels built many years ago for travelers motoring down the same highway as me. My mind drifts to when those buildings were built, what the rooms look like inside, and how they must have appeared in their heyday. Perhaps now more than ever, we relate to and yearn for the long held American value of travel.
Exploring new places, wandering down the road, and getting away from it all seems to be an impulse and drive for our collective society. American artist Edward Hopper explored these concepts along with how race, gender, and socioeconomic factors influenced exactly how people traveled.
August 7 through October 25 at Newfields, you can view over 100 works of Hopper and 26 other artists examining hotels and exploration. Edward Hopper and the American Hotel focuses on 20th century American travel as well as its impact on art, film, and literature. The special exhibit is included with general admission at Newfields and free for members.
Photo courtesy: @briank302
As of this post, Newfields has reopened its doors with special procedures to reduce numbers and increase cleaning procedures. Visitors are required to be masked, and staff members are masking, too.
You may not be traveling to too many destinations this year. However, art allows you to escape no matter where you are. Newfields even has special docents prepared to answer your questions about this particular exhibition. Be sure to plan your next visit around these special sessions.
If you don't feel comfortable venturing out quite yet, you can also explore a number of Newfields works online, including Edward Hopper's Hotel Lobby.
For all of the details about this unique exhibition and current procedures at Newfields, visit this page.
This special exhibition has been organized by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, in partnership with the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields.