Head Pieces 1935 - 1942

Melita Hofmann made these six "Head Pieces" with pencil on paper, and what strikes me is how immediate and intimate they feel. The marks are clear, direct, and the coloured pencils give a beautiful, slightly waxy texture. Look at how each head piece has its own character, like little masks or faces. Notice the central head piece in the top row. I love how the lines of the rainbow are echoed in the curved base. It’s simple, but effective and joyful. Each form has an inner logic to it, and even though they're all different, they speak to each other. It makes me think of Paul Klee, another artist who worked with simple forms and colors to create a world of imagination. But Hofmann's pieces have a rawness, an immediacy, that feels very personal and direct. The work invites us to see the world through the eyes of the artist, with all its possibilities.