The new Oscar winner No Suspense belongs to Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’. The movie is undoubtedly a masterpiece. But in this article, we try to investigate the symbol of art in the movie.
When Oppenheimer studied at Cambridge, he tried to poison his professor with a green apple by injecting the Potassium Cyanide. Why is there a green apple? This symbol just like a trigger pushes us to find some interesting evidence. The usage of the green apple and the appearance of Oppenheimer with a long black coat and hat evokes René Magritte's iconic green apple and man with a bowler hat, serving as a poignant metaphor that interweaves the themes of perception, reality, and the elusiveness of truth.
The green apple, particularly in Magritte's art, is a symbol fraught with paradox and ambiguity. In his most famous work ‘The Son of man’, the apple obscures the face of a man in an overcoat and a bowler hat, suggesting the idea that what is readily visible can prevent us from discerning the underlying truth. This motif resonates profoundly with the thematic core of "Oppenheimer," a film that grapples with the hidden realities of scientific discovery, the enigmatic persona of J. Robert Oppenheimer, and the moral ambiguity of creating the atomic bomb. The inclusion of an apple painting in the movie is not merely an artistic homage but a deliberate narrative choice that parallels Oppenheimer's life and the duality of his legacy. On one level, the apple represents knowledge—harking back to the biblical story of Adam and Eve—an apt symbol for a film centered on the physicist who unraveled the secrets of the atom. Yet, like Magritte's apple, this knowledge is both a revelation and a concealment, illuminating the path to unprecedented power while obscuring the ethical quandaries and human costs.
When Oppenheimer went to the University of Gottingen for advanced academic development in the second part of the film. He stood at the painting which inspired him. The painting called “Woman Sitting with Crossed Arms" (1937) by Pablo Picasso which offers a deep well of emotional and psychological interpretation, making its connection to a character as complex as J. Robert Oppenheimer particularly poignant. In the narrative context of a film like "Oppenheimer," the artwork can be seen as a symbolic reflection of Oppenheimer's inner state during a critical juncture in his life and career.
Picasso's painting, characterized by its intense expressionism and the distorted form of the subject, captures a profound sense of introspection and turmoil. The woman's crossed arms and the painting's somber tones suggest a mood of defensiveness, reservation, or internal conflict. For Oppenheimer, a figure burdened by the moral implications of his work on the atomic bomb, these themes resonate deeply. The painting could symbolize Oppenheimer's own struggles with the ethical dimensions of his scientific achievements, reflecting his possible feelings of isolation, burden, and introspection.
The artwork's emotional intensity and complexity mirror the psychological landscape that Oppenheimer navigates. As he becomes increasingly aware of the destructive power of the atomic bomb, he might feel trapped by his responsibilities and the momentum of the project, much like the woman appears confined within her own crossed arms. The painting, therefore, could be seen as a visual metaphor for Oppenheimer's internalized conflict and the weight of his conscience.
Furthermore, Picasso's art often grapples with themes of human suffering, war, and existential angst, themes that are directly relevant to Oppenheimer's role in developing a weapon of mass destruction. The year of the painting, 1937, was also marked by significant historical events, including the Spanish Civil War and the bombing of Guernica, which Picasso famously depicted in another work. Thus, the painting can also link Oppenheimer's personal narrative to broader themes of conflict, tragedy, and the human condition.
By integrating "Woman Sitting with Crossed Arms" into the visual language of the film, the director could use the painting to offer a window into Oppenheimer's soul, providing the audience with a non-verbal understanding of his complex emotions. It allows the narrative to convey the gravity of his internal conflict, his profound sense of responsibility, and the isolating burden of his knowledge and decisions.
In summary, the inclusion of Picasso's painting and Rene Margret ‘s symbol in a narrative about Oppenheimer could serve as a poignant tool for expressing the scientist's internal struggles, moral dilemmas, and the broader existential questions posed by his work. It acts as a visual metaphor that enriches the film's exploration of its protagonist, offering audiences a deeper insight into his psychological and emotional landscape.
As Cillian Murphy (the actor of Oppenheimer)said in the Oscar awards: This movie is dedicated to all peacemakers in everywhere