The art world has lost one of its most luminous figures. The immense British painter David Hockney died in London on June 11, 2026, at the age of 88.
Recognizable among thousands thanks to his eternal round glasses and his original costumes, he leaves behind a colorful career. He will have marked history with his obsession: the colorexactly.
From the Yorkshire kid who became the king of Pop Art
Born in 1937 has Bradfordin the industrial and foggy north ofEngland, David Hockney showed an interest in drawing and painting very early on. Coming from a modest background, he studied at the prestigious Royal College of Art of London at the beginning of the years 1960where he notably meets Allen Jones And Patrick Caulfieldtwo British painters.
But it is by going into exile California in 1964 that his paint will shine. Fleeing the English grayness and the puritanism of the time, he found Los Angeles a feeling of total freedom. He also meets his future lover, Peter Schlesingerin the United States in 1966. HAS Los Angeleshe discovered instant Polaroid photos, acrylic painting and… villas accompanied by their large blue swimming pools. It is from these that he draws inspiration for his most iconic works: the famous series of his Pool paintings. His paintings have a particular style: azure blue of Californian swimming pools, geometry of modern villas and bodies basking in the sun. In 1967his masterpiece A Bigger Splash forever freezes its identity, its trademark. It thus becomes one of the symbols of popular culture of the 20th century. A documentary film is even dedicated to him in 1973.
Nevertheless, reducing Hockney to swimming pools Los Angeles would be an error. He was a compulsive experimenter: as mentioned before, in addition to painting, he also tried photography, portraits, drawing, decoration, etc.
Return to England and departure to France
It is also from 2005during his return to the East of Yorkshirethe region of his childhood, that he began to paint more and more landscapes. He paints very large formats, and his canvases are examples in terms of colors, which can recall Van Gogh or even Cezanne.
Numerous exhibitions are dedicated to him around the world: Venice in California in 2007, London in 2012, Cologne in Germany in 2012/2013etc. Then, at over 70 years old, he became the pioneer of art on iPhone then on iPad.
He settled again in France in 2019more precisely in Normandyyears after leaving Paris. In fact, he had settled there in the years 1970.
A life of fame and commitment
The artist is adored by the general public and the art market: his canvas Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures) had sold for $90.3 million in 2018, an absolute world record at the time for a living artist.
We also note a political commitment, particularly in favor of the community LGBTof which he himself was a part. He is homosexual and does not hide it: he frequents gay bars from the years 1960. He also creates works that openly refer to male homosexuality, such as We Two Boys Together Clinging (1961), Cleaning Teeth (1962), and others.
David Hockney left this June 11, 2026but its colors will never fade.
