Peter Hoffer
Arrangement in Red, 2019
Rendered realistically in red, pink and green, an arrangement of roses is juxtaposed with …
Peter Hoffer is a landscape painter, working with traditional varnishing techniques popularized in the 19th century. He particularly addresses artists’ practice of using a high-gloss finish to maintain the appearance of being newly completed. His images feature nondescript views of landscapes, to which he applies many coats of reflective varnishes, sometimes between layers of paint. Over time, the surface shows natural inconsistences such as discoloration and cracks. Hoffer exaggerates this effect by marking, etching, scratching, and searing the varnished layers, such that they becomes rough “like the terrain itself.”
Rendered realistically in red, pink and green, an arrangement of roses is juxtaposed with provocative collage. This mixed media image by Peter Hoffer incorporates a rich assortment of vintage newspaper cippings and wallpaper with vivid passages of acrylic. The work is encased in a shallow plexiglass box.
Peter Hoffer is a landscape painter, working with traditional varnishing techniques popularized in the 19th century. He particularly addresses artists’ practice of using a high-gloss finish to maintain the appearance of being newly completed. His images feature nondescript views of landscapes, to which he applies many coats of reflective varnishes, sometimes between layers of paint. Over time, the surface shows natural inconsistences such as discoloration and cracks. Hoffer exaggerates this effect by marking, etching, scratching, and searing the varnished layers, such that they becomes rough “like the terrain itself.”
