Matthew Hoffman is a Chicago-based artist & designer whose public works have been exhibited internationally. He’s created public installations for the City of Chicago, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway Conservancy, Albright Knox Gallery, as well as companies like Apple, Facebook, Zappos, & Cards Against Humanity. There are close to 30 outdoor installations currently up in the Chicagoland area.
With so many Matthew Hoffman works around Chicago, I’ve come to think of them as a little hug, high five, or like running into an old friend. In the midst of an errand, stressful commute or just looking out the window of your office for a mental break, the messages tend to find you, and I’m so grateful that they do. “You got this,” “Today’s the day” and “It’s ok to not be ok,” among so many other phrases, have kept me going on numerous occasions, and I’m not alone. With almost 5 *MILLION* stickers printed, the flagship “You Are Beautiful” phrase has resonated with people across the globe. An early moment of impact for Matthew was when he received a letter from someone in Vietnam who was touched deeply by the message and wanted to share it with others.
As the letters poured in Matthew realized he was on to something, and so did Oprah. Oprah! Everyone wanted in on this movement of positivity and inclusion, and the requests for commissions and collaborations got bigger and bigger. Several years on, I was managing a youth program and thought it would be cool to connect with Matthew to see if we could get the students involved in something he was doing. Acknowledging that it was a long shot, I had backup plans for the students but didn’t end up needing them. He responded quickly and kindly, excited to make something happen. We came up with some ideas for photo booth props, a backdrop that included the You Are Beautiful logo in addition to our program logo, and hashtags the students could use to tag themselves with his phrases. Long after the two events Matthew helped us with, the teachers and students still talk about how powerful it was. There was not a dry eye in the house during his presentations.
I’m excited to share this video with you all so you, too, can feel a virtual hug and know that You Are Beautiful. Check out more of Matthew’s work online @ YAB Sticker, Hey It’s Matthew and in person at the new HQ, which offers art workshops, yoga classes and all kinds of feel good vibes.
