British Artist David Hockney Dies at 88
Theo Al Jazeera English
David Hockney, one of the most influential figures in contemporary art, has died at 88. The British painter known for his vibrant works and key role in the Pop Art movement passed away peacefully at his London home. His career spanned seven decades, leaving a massive, multimedia legacy.
British artist David Hockney, regarded as one of the most influential and defining figures in contemporary art, has died at the age of 88. His paintings captured the world in vibrant colors.
Spokesperson Erica Bolton announced on Friday that Hockney “died peacefully at home” in London the previous day. She did not disclose the cause of death.
“His career spanned seven decades and his vast body of work is characterized by a multimedia approach to image-making, an intellectual investigation into the nature of representation and perspective, and an enduring commitment to celebrating and depicting the world around him,” the statement added.
As a leading artist in the Pop Art movement of the 1960s, Hockney established himself as a globally renowned painter and master draftsman, continuing to paint, experiment, and exhibit until his death.
Born in 1937 in West Yorkshire, northern England, Hockney studied at the Bradford School of Art in the region and later at the Royal College in London, where he graduated with a Gold Medal.
A conscientious objector to military service, Hockney served as a hospital orderly, defying post-war British conventions, having realized from a young age that he was gay and wanted to be an artist.
He quickly emerged as one of the standout talents of a new generation of British artists, covering everything from carefree 1960s California—where he moved in 1964—to the rural landscapes of his native Yorkshire.
With his signature round glasses and platinum blond hair, Hockney was a well-known figure in the vibrant British and American art scenes of the 1960s, even before he turned 30.
His paintings were equally distinctive, many creating dreamlike worlds with light creating patterned reflections on water and windows, and human forms rendered through flat, simplified shapes in matte acrylic paint.
In 2018, his iconic pool painting, Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures), sold for $90.3 million in New York, setting a new auction record for a living artist. That record was broken by Jeff Koons' Rabbit a year later.
Famous for experimenting across multiple forms and techniques—including printmaking, photography, stage design as well as painting and drawing—he embraced modern technology as it emerged. He used iPads from their 2010 release and worked with developers to create custom apps, according to a profile by the National Portrait Gallery. He also continuously debuted new work.
Hockney is survived by his longtime partner Jean-Pierre Goncalves de Lima, his nephew and studio assistant Richard Hockney, his brothers Philip and John, and many nieces, nephews, and grandchildren.
