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2 EW: When I asked you about Hofmann the other day, when you were studying with him-- LK: What was the question, and what was the answer?! EW: I asked you how your experience with Hofmann led into an all-over style-- LK: Oh--what was my answer? EW: Well, when I looked over my notes, I found that your answer had more to do with Pollock, than with your own work--- LK: Precisely-- EW: And in the tape you made with Barbara Rose, you said that the most valid thing you had gotten from Hofmann was his vitality, his enthusiasm and seriousness about painting-- LK: Right, right-- EW: Well, I actually wanted to try to pinpoint what you got from him, formally, you know, aside from the rudiments of cubism. That's it, mainly? LK: Well, you must remember this, which is an important factor, that at the time I'm a student of Hofmann's, I haven't the remotest idea in the world what Hofmann's painting is like... EW: Yea, that's right... LK: Because he kept that absolutely dead secret, so that all one knew was, let's say, if there were twenty students in the class, there were twenty different styles of painting, you know, and Hofmann went to each student, and said what he said, or did what he did, but one did not know at this point--which I might add, was a saving grace for me, as a student--what his paintings looked like, what he painted. Because, I, myself, don't confront his paintings until '44-- EW: Why do you say "saving grace?" LK: Saving grace, in that any teacher that is as potent a personality as Hofmann--if one knew his painting, there might be, like, influence, so to speak--it's almost inevitable. But if one didn't know what his painting was like, let's say each of the students, you know, like there wasn't the same painting all around the room. There were the same drawings around the room, and that's because he worked on the [[strikethrough]] same [[/strikethrough]] drawings, definitely. So you knew what Hofmann's drawings were like, since he picked up the charcoal and worked on your drawing; but one didn't, at least I didn't know, what his painting was like. EW: Did it have any influence on your work after you saw his painting? LK: Uh uh (NO). Not at all--because I've met Pollock by then. And his painting has had far more effect on me, and by then, you know, one was aware that what Hofmann was teaching, well, it was cubism. EW: One thing which distinguishes you very early, I guess, from Pollock's work, even before you met him, was your interest in Matisse., right? LK: Right. EW: How did this early influence your work, and how did you influence Pollock in this? LK: How I influenced Pollock I will never know.
