Revolutionary British artist David Hockney dies aged 88
5 hours ago
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- David Hockney, influential British painter, died at age 88.
- He rose to fame as a pop artist in the 1960s, known for paintings of swimming pools that defined LA's aesthetic, such as 'A Bigger Splash' and 'Portrait of an Artist (Pool With Two Figures)'.
- His career spanned six decades, including photo-collage, abstract landscapes, and exploration of 3D technology for art.
- Born in Bradford in 1937, he studied art and sold his first painting at 20; as a conscientious objector, he did national service as a hospital orderly.
- At the Royal College of Art, he challenged rules, refusing to paint a female model and submit an essay, but still graduated due to his talent.
- He openly depicted gay life in works like 'We Two Boys Together Clinging' and 'Cleaning Teeth, Early Evening (10pm) W11', during a time when homosexuality was illegal in Britain.
- Hockney was a social figure in the 1960s, partying with celebrities, but maintained a strong work ethic despite his bohemian lifestyle.
- After moving to LA, his mature works gained acclaim; his 1972 masterpiece sold for a record $90.3 million in 2018.
- He accidentally pioneered photo-collage ('joiners') using Polaroid, exploring perspective with cubist influences.
- Later, he experimented with set design and technology like photocopiers, fax machines, printers, and iPads for digital art.
- A lifelong smoker, he criticized smoking bans and faced personal tragedy in 2013 with the death of his assistant.
- Hockney declined knighthood and royal portraits, and challenged art history in his book 'Secret Knowledge'.
- He emphasized drawing as a way to see the world and lived in the present, leaving a lasting impact on 20th-century art.