Hans Hoffman: 1880-1966

I've gotten a chance to look at a lot of work by Hans Hoffman lateley, as I have visited the Berekely Art Museum twice in the last week. His paintings are really, really good - I guess that's putting it a little simplistic, but it's true. He was a great painting teacher too, and pushed his students hard. Sometimes it's those teachers, whose work is not of "star" status in their own time, that make a bigger imact on their students. Apparently he made Wolfe Kahn have a nervous breakdown when he was studying under him. Hoffman taught summer sessions at UC Berkeley, and later donated a huge portion of his body of work to the Museum. There are about five or six huge paintings always on display.

Also, new to the BAM collection is a piece by Jennifer Bartlett. The sculpture by Maria Porges is always fun to visit. In the "Measure of Time" exhibit there's a wonderful painting by the legendary Jay DeFeo.


Nocturnal Splendor, 1963


Equinox, 1958


Ecstasy, 1947


The Golden Wall, 1961

The bad news is that last night we tried to go to Moma for the Picasso show, but it was sold out. Better luck next time.

Next Up: my re-cap of Allison Smith's Notion Nanny Open House Day of Demonstrations at the Berkeley Art Museum.