Martin Hoffman Art

signed with initials verso and a stamp Kooter Boogers of America. with an intentionally distressed surface. please see photos. Martin Hoffman, a prominent artist whose work in the 1970s was simultaneously identified with high art (gritty realist paintings sold through the O.K. Harris Gallery in New York) and low (illustrations for Playboy magazine). Throughout his career, his style ranged from energetic abstraction and hard-edge pop to photo-based realism and minimalism. In recent years, he created a series of autobiographical paintings in a winsome, cartoon-like style. He also did a series of subtly hued works in which inscrutable words half-disappear into the paint in which they are inscribed. Hoffman’s first job out of college was as art director for the Miami News, a position that he held from 1956 until 1962. Afterward he worked as a graphic designer in Miami while making paintings at home in his spare time. His earliest paintings (which were done, he said, as a “testosterone-driven teenager”) were executed in automotive lacquer on 4 x 8 foot sheets of builder’s hardboard. They combined glossy, visceral surfaces and metallic paints with collaged-on metal shapes and mirrors. In the 1960s, Hoffman’s paintings began to incorporate figures and symbolism with erotic undertones. Through a mutual friend, Sidney Janis saw Hoffman’s paintings and selected one of them for his international “Erotic Art ‘66” exhibition at Sidney Janis Gallery in New York. Others in the show included Pop Art icons Jim Dine, Larry Rivers, James Rosenquist and Tom Wesselman. Hoffman’s painting hung besides an Andy Warhol silkscreen painting of a partially peeled banana. From 1966 to 1992, Hoffman was a freelance Playboy illustrator. He called those years “a wonderful period – it supported my family.” Hoffman painted a series of nudes titled “Woman Eternal” which was featured in Playboy’s December 1972 issue. Through the years, he also created illustrations for books, record albums, movie posters and print ads. Clients included Pfizer, Caesar’s Palace, Harley Davidson Motorcycles and the NASA Art Program, which commissioned a series of works based on activities at the former Kennedy Space Center...

Introducing "Ribbon," an extraordinary painting from the "Jersey Meadow Series" by Martin Hoffman in the 1970s. From the 1970s onwards, Hoffman's career showcased a masterful combination of beautiful painting techniques and challenging subject matter. This contemporary painting depicts an abandoned landscape with a hypnotic blue plastic ribbon at its center. Hoffman's landscape creates an almost mesmerizing effect, where the subject matter of destruction and decay is presented poetically. The warm shades of grey with hints of blue, brown, and purple create a limited yet powerful palette that enhances the melancholic beauty of the painting. The painting measures 151cm x 202cm / 59.5in x 79.5in and is signed 'Martin Hoffman' on the reverse side of the canvas. It is titled 'Ribbon' and is dated '73.' Additionally, the artist specifies that the painting is part of the 'Jersey Meadow Series.' It is ready to hang and comes with a silver-painted frame. The condition of the painting is great, with hardly any signs of wear. The frame has a few scratches but is otherwise in good condition. Artist Bio: Martin Hoffman was a versatile artist and illustrator, mostly known for his paintings. He was a self-taught painter and a gifted drummer who had worked as an art director for the Miami News, Graphic Arts Inc., and Steiner & Wall Advertising. In 1973, Martin Hoffman landed his first solo exhibition at the OK Harris...