Suburban 1936

Hans Hofmann built "Suburban" with oil paint and intuition. Look at the field of yellow, almost like a stage, with a house dropped right in the middle. I can feel him placing it there, pushing the paint around, trying to get it just right. That big red stroke, like a buoy, holding everything in place is a powerful gesture. He may have wanted to find balance or harmony. There are so many possible readings. What was he thinking as he made this? What was he trying to say? Perhaps, "Here is where I’ve made my home." I imagine he was in dialogue with other painters like Matisse, each painter pushing and pulling at the limits of representation. I love how Hofmann's "Suburban" embraces uncertainty. It’s a conversation, always evolving, always asking questions.