The Wolfgang Wolff Foundation-

Preserving the History, Art, and Legacy of a German (Nazi) Exile

Wolfgang Wolff was a self-taught German artist. As a refugee of the Nazi regime living in exile in Tahiti (where he was later interned) Wolff documented the life and times of Tahiti during the 1930s and the war years through illustrated diaries and letters. In his paintings and woodcuts he interpreted Tahitian culture and landscape in a German Expressionist mode.

From the 1950s to the 70s Wolff worked as a textile designer in Los Angeles. He was one of the originators of Polynesian fabric designs found in typical “Hawaiian” shirts.

We are dedicated to promoting his life story as a Weimar Republic magistrate, artist, and textile designer. Currently, we are working to reconstruct his journey while cataloging his extensive art portfolio. Narratives, via different mediums, are in the works along with locating permanent homes for his work both in Tahiti and in Germany. Two of his water colors and three of his ink drawing have hung in my home for 30 years. His experience in the textile shirt industry in Los Angeles alone is a story unto itself.

For information and updates as to the Foundation’s progress, go to https://wolfgangwolff.org .