BASTIAN is pleased to present works from the German-born American artist Hans Hofmann (1880– 1966), shown in the UK for the first time. Focusing on paintings produced at the end of the Second World War and immediately afterwards - a period which saw Hofmann’s style develop in response to the challenges of the era - the exhibition pays homage to a pivotal time in the artist’s career. Hofmann’s angular abstractions, such as Fury No. 1, 1945, personify the insecurities of the period; but in parallel Hofmann also moved towards soft ambiguous forms and gesture which would become the hallmark of the Abstract Expressionist movement.
The works on show span from 1942–1949. Whilst demonstrating Hofmann’s development towards abstraction, the paintings still reveal an identifiably representational quality which nod to his figurative beginnings. Primarily known for his expressive use of bold, often primary colours, the palette used in the works exhibited at BASTIAN consists predominantly of vivid, bright colours and contrasting dark tones, epitomising the conflicted post-war feeling.