David Hockney's Secret Knowledge Click cover to BUY |
Although David Hockney's lived in Los Angeles on and off since 1963, he still wakes up each morning wondering if the weather will turn out fine. It seems you can take the boy out of Bradford but you can't take Bradford out of the boy.
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It was while a boy in Bradford that Hockney first had aspirations to be an artist. After attending local art school he continued his studies at the Royal College of Art, London, in 1959.
While there, Hockney went through a period of self-discovery, both in terms of sexual preference and artistic style. The young gay man with the bleached blonde bob made an immediate impression. By his mid-20s Hockney was already achieving international success, gaining the reputation as a Pop artist in the process. Having moved to LA, blue skies and swimming pools became the favourite themes of his subsequent work. As did homoerotic images of sun-kissed young men. In 1966 Hockney met Peter Sclesinger, an art student who became his lover and favourite model. They split four years later. Having encapsulated LA life, Hockney went on to paint striking portraits such as Mr and Mrs Clark and Percy. During the 70s, Hockney designed sets for lavish operatic productions such as The Rakes Progress and The Magic Flute. In the 80s, never afraid to break artistic conventions, Hockney pushed the boundaries of modern art by experimenting with Polaroids, photocopiers and fax machines. "If art isn't playful, it's nothing." Today, he's the one of the most commercially successful artists of his generation - even his faxes sell for thousands. As to whether his works will one day accrue classic status, Hockney doesn't seem too bothered. "I don't care much about them lasting, I'll be long gone, off on another adventure." |
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