“I made this for you” is a sentiment wrapped in the act of creation itself: an offering in aid of connection, one soul reaching out into the void for another, looking for understanding, love, or hope itself. Matthew Hoffman’s Public Works exhibition I Made This For You transforms these messages of connection, sincerity and mindfulness into quiet meditations of assurance and footing within a turbulent world, while exploring playful incarnations of his text-based ideas. Working primarily in his wood shop, it is as though Hoffman creates “signs” that point the emotional way forward, a tide break against the waves of negativity in the world around him. The words themselves are light, airy, and forged with vibrant colors, drawing you in like shiny pieces of candy. Known for the world-wide stickering phenomenon “You are beautiful”, his visual breadcrumbs are now baked into our landscape, infused into nearly every urban environment, an ever-present invitation into a place of self-care, connection and enlightenment.
Press
Newcity
