Originally produced as a short piece to accompany a 1999 Hofmann exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Hans Hofmann: Artist/Teacher, Teacher/Artist developed into an hour-long documentary by popular demand. New York-based executive producer Madeline Amgott explains:

“The film and the exhibition were so enthusiastically received that I decided to create an hour about him to bring more attention to his work. Hofmann is often overlooked because he taught for so many years.”

Amgott (pictured above with artist Red Grooms) spent five years researching Hofmann’s life and work: Traveling as nearby as West 49th Street and as far away as Munich, Barcelona and London, Amgott interviewed scores of the artist’s students, mentees, friends and experts. Finally, a year was spent carefully cutting hundreds of hours of footage down to one to bring the Hofmann’s story vividly to life. Madeline Amgott wishes to acknowledge the generous support and assistance of all those who participated in the making of the film.

The following artists are former Hofmann students who either appear or are referred to in the documentary (in alphabetical order):Betty Bishop, Lee Krasner, Ray Eames, Robert Fisher, James Gahagan, Red Grooms, Myrna Harrison, Robert Henry, Penelope Jencks, Wolf Kahn, Allan Kaprow, Irvin Kershner, Lillian Kiesler, Marisol, Mercedes Matter, Louise Nevelson, Lillian Orlowsky, Haynes Ownby, Joseph Plaskett, Paul Resika, Robert Richenberg, Max Spoerri, Frank Stella, and Selena Trieff.