New Zealand

Artist: Peter Hoffmann

Born: 1945 in New Zealand

e-mail: phoffi@gmx.de

1963-68: Student of languages and music at the Universtiy of

Auckland, New Zealand (Master of Arts in French.

since

1972: trips to America and Europe

since

1983: intensive study of modern and contemporary art -

especially with the works of Gauguin, Matisse, Bonnard

Dix, Lucien Freud, Kitaj. Hockney etc.

Exhibitions:

since 1994: several Exhibitions in Berlin, Hamburg and Saarland.

Interpretation

I have covered my bear with typical New Zealand motives, mainly flora and fauna. If you feel like counting, you will find twelve birds, including two kiwis (which are unable to fly), in a blue egg on the bear’s belly. Maori patterns adorn the head and arms. Two pre-historic tuatara lizards crawl up the feet. On the back of the arms you can see the dormant volcano Rangitoto, an emblem of my home town Auckland on the left, and the active volcano Ngauruhoe on the right arm. A group of New Zealanders, old and young, gather behind the two flags: the official New Zealand flag and the alternative one designed by the artist Hundertwasser.

Peter Hoffmann

Sponsor: Pricewaterhouse Coopers