Statement

In his research-based practice, Jonah Hoffman exposes the colonial exploitation embedded in painting’s materiality. His current work investigates the material history of Cobalt Blue and its entanglements with geopolitical power, energy systems, and art economies. Through layers of printed and painted images and washes of color, all rendered in cobalt blue paint, he reinterprets the visual culture surrounding cobalt production and personal technology to confront the latent violence within these images. By addressing systemic injustices in an era of ecological collapse, Hoffman's work transforms complex histories into reflections on the interconnected roles of materiality, states, and individuals, critically examining the artist's position within these systems.

Bio

Jonah Hoffman (b.1998, New Mexico, USA) holds an MFA from Goldsmiths, University of London (2025) and a BFA from School of the Art Institute of Chicago (2020). He has exhibited in group and solo shows in London, Chicago, and Santa Fe. He has received grants from the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation (2023) and the Puffin Foundation (2024) and was a two-time finalist for the Luminarts Visual Arts Fellowship.