Lukáš Hofmann 
Retrospective
2016
Performance, Trade Fair Palace, National Gallery in Prague.                            Photography: Johana Pošová
60 x 60 cm
Acquired in 2018

On view in The M Lounge.

Lukáš Hofmann (b. 1993), was born in Prague; as a child he bounced through the Czech education system, switching to more established schools every 2 or 3 years. It was not until he enrolled at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague that he began receiving any kind of formal art education. As his lexicon is that of the sandbox – “oozing,” “association,” and “texture” may come to mind, as well as his moniker “Saliva” – he is thankful for this lack of aesthetic taxonomy in his learning. It has allowed him to do things like present a fashion show before knowing how to sew, instead choosing to retool garments stolen from the wardrobes of a multinational Swedish furniture brand.

At this point, Hofmann’s work grows from the delta bordered by sculpture, performance, and styling. Though even this metaphor isn’t truly suited to his practice, as the sludge sometimes looks like tulle, and vice-versa. Being a DJ sometimes, being a model sometimes, using the Internet as the ludic medium we’d all like it to be, it is more useful to talk of Hofmann as an artist of sensibility or alchemy rather than any set discipline. His styled garment enters the intimate space, becomes it – the same could be said of a spectator to his performance, his sculpture to a room, a follower to his feed.