Perspectives on Hofmann

Premier Associates Exhibition

Curated by Veronica Szalus

February 25th - March 21st, 2026

“The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak. “ Hans Hofmann

Simplifying can be expressed in many ways, from spare designs with only a few elements and shapes to abstractions that reference representational ideas with gestural lines and color. Hofmann was well known for his vibrant colors, and he used the relationships between colors, including warm and cool and bright and dull, to achieve visual depth in a two-dimensional plane, known as the “push/pull” theory.

Working in a variety of media, the Premier Associates artists explore compositions that distill the essence of “what is necessary” to express their individual visions.

Judy Bonderman – Leaning into Hofmann’s commanding use of color and geometric shapes, Bonderman combined and abstracted her recent photos from Morocco to reimagine the objective reality of the old Medina alleyways.

Jennifer Duncan - Using repurposed monotype prints of mid-century fabric designs found while emptying a family home, and details of Hofmann’s abstract paintings from the same era, Duncan combines their echoing colors and patterns in her collages. The work explores the influence that textile design may have had on other visual arts and how expressionist painters of this era compelled a leap forward on the greater artistic community.

Pam Frederick – Frederick has adapted Hofmann's compositions into her own language. While incorporating his high-key color palette, she places her collaged squares and triangles onto heavily painted surfaces.

Cindy Grisdela – Grisdela abstracted shapes and color in fabric in response to Hoffmann’s “Push/Pull” theory of color interactions. She is fascinated by the interaction between the abstract shapes and the negative space surrounding them—can the lines be blurred so sometimes the viewer sees one and then the other?

Joan Mayfield - Using Hofmann’s advice to “simplify in order to find the necessary” Mayfield attempts to find and highlight the individual essence of the found, up-cycled wood she uses in her work.