Making Modern: Hofmann and the Next Generation

“Hofmann and the Next Generation” in the Melvin Blake and Frank Purnell Gallery explores the influence of their teachers on mid-century abstract artists. Hans Hofmann (American, born in Germany), a prominent Abstract Expressionist and dedicated teacher, welcomed hundreds of students to his studios in New York and Provincetown, training them in his distinctive technique and inspiring both peers and a new generation of artists to develop their own voice. From Franz Kline’s monumental, gestural work to Robert Motherwell’s more philosophical approach, Hofmann’s deep influence on abstract art and technique can be seen in paintings by Helen Frankenthaler, Kline, and Motherwell, and sculptures by David Smith and Peter Voulkos.