A fond memory of the late David Hockney. It was very sad news to hear that David Hockney passed away. Clearly, he was a really innovative painter, print maker, really strong portrait painter, many, you know, had many, many talents.
I had reviewed his work on multiple occasions, but I saw a really good excuse to go interview him when they were bringing back his sets for Turandot to the San Diego Opera. I believe it was the second time they brought him back in the early 2000s. spoke to the folks who I knew well at his gallery. They spoke to his, him and his staff and they said, “Oh, yeah, he, it’s okay. He can come up to Mulholland Drive.” All right. I said, “Okay, I’m doing this story.”
So then I, you know, wound my way up Mulholland and he really did live way up in the hills and he had his home there in his studio. On the way up, I thought about that famous iconic painting of his in the LA County Museum of Art collection, The Road to The Studio, which you know, the thing that you learn from looking at that painting is it doesn’t really look like your drive up there. It’s not realism, but it’s a kind of figuration style that’s all his own which he takes advantage of. Flattened perspective, patterned color, and yet maintains the integrity of the scene. So, you know, it’s really the example of a painter who’s at the the top of his talent and style when he made that painting.
Anyway, it was just a very nice occasion. Gave me insights into him. He’s obviously, you know, he’s very thoughtful but not pretentious and very hospitable. So, it’s a nice memory to have that of actually meeting him in addition to writing about his work in the review context on many occasions.
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David Hockney
Thank you to Pace for these photos.
Photo credit: Jean-Pierre Gonçalves de Lima
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