Hockney, a British artist born in 1937, gained fame with the British Pop Art movement and later became known for his vibrant depictions of Southern California
L.A. Louver gallery celebrated artist David Hockney’s 88th birthday Thursday by highlighting two of his works on paper, currently featured in the “L.A. Louver Celebrates 50 Years” exhibition.
The showcased pieces, part of a 2021 series of 20 flower iPad paintings created during Hockney’s quarantine in Normandy, depict floral arrangements against gingham tablecloths and burgundy walls. “I was just sitting at the table in our house, and I caught sight of some flowers in a vase on the table,” Hockney said, describing the inspiration. The first work, 30th January 2021, The First One, features small white buds and magenta blooms in a ceramic vase, showcasing his skill with line, color, and perspective.
Another highlighted piece, Seven Trollies, Six and a Half Stools, Six Portraits, Eleven Paintings, and Two Curtains (2018), exemplifies Hockney’s innovative use of multi-point perspective and digital technology. Collaborating with assistant John Wilkinson, he photographed studio objects from multiple angles, using software to stitch them into a manipulable image, altering colors and lighting for a three-dimensional effect.
Hockney, a British artist born in 1937, gained fame with the British Pop Art movement and later became known for his vibrant depictions of Southern California life after moving there in the late 1960s. His works, spanning painting, photography, and digital media, are noted for their flatness and subtle forms. L.A. Louver has represented him since 1978.
The exhibition, which also includes the painting Midsummer Tunnel – August 2006, is open for public viewing at the gallery.
