August 4, 2025

Open Studio: Six Decades of Works by Murray Hochman, Berkshires, through September 14, 2025

While Hochman was noticed by key gallerists and collectors in the 1960s, he has worked mostly in obscurity. Recent rediscoveries of dozens of older paintings are providing a more complete picture of Hochman’s vibrant 60-year career. For the first time selected paintings from Murray Hochman’s entire body of work will be on display in one place.

From the downtown NYC art scene of the early sixties through the present, Murray has painted consistently, immersed in and influenced by cultural trends, the demands of his materials and an abiding interest in experimentation. Over the last six decades he has explored the possibilities of light, color, geometry and gesture. From early investigations into Op Art to recent assemblages and free-standing sculptures made of discarded plastic, his multiple series reveal his deep engagement in creating and are noteworthy for the presence they evoke.

“My work has always been process-oriented, and I let materials, and chance, largely dictate the direction. Still, I see themes that occur and reoccur over the decades, in various transformations.”  —  Murray Hochman

The red barn, with its iconic spiral window, is Murray Hochman’s studio. It is located in a Berkshires (MA) village, established in 1739 – a self-described “hinterland settlement.” The brown barn was used for drying tobacco.
Photograph by Michael Lavin Flower.
A series of works on paper from 2008 displayed outside the tobacco barn. Photograph by Michael Lavin Flower.
In cleaning up the barn, Hochman rediscovered dozens of earlier paintings, some dating back to the 1960s, which are now on display in the studio. Photograph by Michael Lavin Flower.
The colorful paintings on the right are part of a series called Caliente, produced in 1980. The large black and white painting is from 1995; the black and white drawing is from 2004-2006. Photograph by Michael Lavin Flower.
Works on canvas and paper dating from 1980 to 2013. Photograph by Michael Lavin Flower.
The three smaller canvases are Hochman’s most recent works. The large painting on the far right (8 x 6.5 ft) is from a 2006 series called Chrome Geometries. Photograph by Michael Lavin Flower.
In 2020, Hochman began working with discarded plastic collected from the local dump, turning it into free-standing sculptures and wall reliefs. Photograph by Michael Lavin Flower.
Murray Hochman, now 90, in front of his largest painting, a 10 x 8 ft work on canvas from 2004-2005, called Polychrome 2. Photograph by Michael Lavin Flower.

Title image: Untitled, 2024, Paint chips and spray paint on aluminum panel, 4 x 4 ft. Photograph by Michael Lavin Flower. 

PLEASE NOTE: The studio is available for viewing by appointment only until September 14, 2025. Contact Dan Schwartz at: danschwar@gmail.com