Thank You David Hockney

I shed tears on the news of the passing of David Hockney on 11 June 2026, at the age of 88. A hero and genius to me (and to many, no doubt).

I've been contemplating what effect David Hockney had on me when I first encountered his art at the age of 15. My art teacher asked me to copy one of his photo collages (below). And also make an art piece from one of Hockney's swimming pool paintings, 'A Bigger Splash'. 

So over the years, what did I learn from Hockney's art?

He loved life.
He loved colour.
He loved really looking at things, looking closely at the world. Really seeing.
He loved documenting his life.
He was insatiably curious.
He stayed playful all his life.
He shared what he learned and saw for all of us to benefit.



What makes a great artist? For me, it's someone who develops their art as they evolve. They try different things, always growing, always learning, always working. David Hockney is one of our best. Much loved, he spread colour and joy, always seeing what others didn't. 



As much as I love all his work, I was particularly stricken by his paintings of the Yorkshire countryside. His exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts in 2012 was just extraordinary. The colours, the patterns, the compositions. It was a love fest for the eyes and all senses.



But all his art was extraordinary. The first time I saw his painting of the Grand Canyon in an exhibition, I was speechless. I had bought a DVD (remember those) showing how this painting came about. 



From the photo collages, which made me look at photography differently, to his portraits, his openness of his sexuality which back then was still forbidden, all of it was inspiration to me. 

One of my favourite memories will be the outstanding large-space projection at the Lightroom, where narrated by Hockney, we were treated to a personal journey through sixty years of his art. I went three times.

Last year I travelled to Paris to see the now iconic exhibition: David Hockney 25 at the Fondation Louis Vuitton. What can I say? You can read my blog post. 

One never knows quite what exactly influences us. But I know for sure that the discovery of David Hockney at 15 (thank you Mike O'Connor) made a big impression on me. And it doesn't come as a surprise that I embraced colour, joy, playfulness, curiosity and so much more into my life. 

I feel grateful for having seen numerous exhibitions, watched many TV series and interviews on David Hockney. Here is a list of everything David Hockney. Hope you'll find some of it inspirational.

Thank You David Hockney 

The David Hockney Foundation 
David Hockney at the Royal Academy of Arts
David Hockney - A Bigger Picture - Documentary 2017
David Hockney 25 at the Fondation Louis Vuitton Youtube Video
David Hockney life in pictures
David Hockney - 4 episodes - interviewed by Melvyn Bragg - NOW entertainment
David Hockney: The Art of Seeing - a culture show special (BBC)
David Hockney Interview about the Grand Canyon