A SCULPTURE of Philip Seymour Hoffman by a renowned Scottish artist has been unveiled in New York.
The bronze life-size statue of the artist and and director went on display yesterday at George Eastman Museum, in the Rochester area of the city.
Hoffman’s mother, retired judge Marilyn O’Connor, called the sculpture “a loving memorial” to her son who passed away in 2014 at the age of 46. Hoffman was an Oscar-winning actor who was also nominated for Tony and Emmy awards.
The tribute to Hoffman was commissioned by Irish-born philanthropist and film producer James Declan Tobin of Boston, whom O’Connor befriended at the Sundance Film Festival in 2015.
“There was a lot of silence after Phil died,” Tobin said. “I wanted to keep the light going. I wanted Phil’s family to know the impact he had on me and the world.”
Tobin commissioned Scottish artist David Annand to make the sculpture. He worked from photographs to capture Hoffman’s likeness.
Annand said he “tried to capture the subtle way he [Hoffman] smiled with his eyes rather than his mouth, looking for vitality, intelligence, talent, and that twinkle in the eye.”
The statue depicts Hoffman in casual attire on his way to work with a messenger bag across his chest.
Tobin credits O’Connor for inspiring the project, saying: “Marilyn gave me a big canvas on which to dream and the courage and the space to create,” he said. “Sometimes dreams come true, and now it is a reality because Marilyn was brave enough to embrace this tribute to Phil, which we hope will inspire future generations of actors and artists.”
The funding for the commission was provided by the Sumner Roy Kates Charitable Trust, of which Tobin serves as president. The trust also has established a scholarship fund in Hoffman’s name at the actor’s alma mater, New York University (NYU), for two students attending NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. The first recipients will be announced soon.
“We are honored to be able to present outside the Dryden Theatre this wonderful sculpture of Philip Seymour Hoffman, who made such an extraordinary contribution to the art of cinema,” said Bruce Barnes of the George Eastman Museum.
