Chop Suey, 1929
Collection of Barney Ebsworth
The Lighthouse at Two Lights, 1929
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Morning Sun, 1952
Columbus Museum of Art
Room in New York, 1932
Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery
“What I wanted was to paint sunlight on the side of a house.”
— Edward Hopper
His mystique lingers. His compositions intrigue. His colors and context mesmerize. In all, the works of artist Edward Hopper make a lasting impression. This kind of enduring impact is what we strive for at Booz Allen Hamilton.
Booz Allen was proud to be the corporate sponsor of Edward Hopper, one of the largest ever surveys of his work, including some of his great achievements such as Nighthawks (1942), Automat (1927), Early Sunday Morning (1930), and Chop Suey (1929). The exhibition ran from September 2007 to January 2008 at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC as part of a three-city tour that started in Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts and ends in May at The Art Institute in Chicago.
From opening day in Washington, when fans circled the museum to be the first inside, to the very last crowded weekend, well over 360,000 people saw Edward Hopper. The exhibition had special appeal, attracting everyone from serious art patrons like comedian and art collector Steve Martin and official Washington, including the First Lady and several Chief Justices, to the masses. On Thanksgiving weekend alone, an astounding 20,000 people saw Edward Hopper. Many knew of Hopper, and many more had simply heard “this is something you need to see.”
Booz Allen played an active, partnering role as sponsor, working closely with the National Gallery to make the Hopper exhibition accessible to everyone. A case in point was an educational program and special activity badge for the more than 81,000 Girl Scouts in the Washington capital region. Another example was the highly successful National Gallery Family Weekend. Booz Allen provided guidance to the museum’s first foray into exhibition podcasts, and facilitated concerts by US Navy Band at the Gallery. In its coverage of the opening gala for the exhibition, The Washington Times wrote, “No one was more articulate or vocal in his appreciation [of Edward Hopper] than Ralph W. Shrader, chairman of Booz Allen Hamilton, the exhibit’s corporate sponsor.”
Employee response to Edward Hopper was exceptional, with a private opening event for staff attracting over 2,500 people. Other programs were created to meet a variety of business needs, from relationship building with clients and business partners to teambuilding and staff recognition.
In the end, the firm’s investment in Edward Hopper made possible an extraordinary set of opportunities. The general public and the Booz Allen community experienced, perhaps for the very first—and last—times, a large collection of rarely seen masterpieces. The educational programs and lectures, the documentary, podcasts, tours, and other special events only enhanced the experience of seeing the art in person. For Booz Allen, it was a privilege to be part of Edward Hopper in every way.
story posted January 22, 2008
