BORN 1937, BRADFORD, ENGLAND

An important contributor to the Pop art movement of the 1960’s, he is considered one of the most influential BRITISH artists of the 20th century.

In 1959 he entered graduate school at the Royal College of Art LONDON. HOCKNEY featured in the exhibition “Young Contemporaries” alongside PETER BLAKE that announced the arrival of British Pop Art, he was associated with this movement although his early works displayed expressionist elements. When the RCA said it would not let him graduate in 1962 because he refused to write an essay for his final exam, HOCKNEY drew the sketch “The Diploma” in protest. Recognising his talent and growing reputation, the RCA changed its regulations and awarded the diploma.

DAVID HOCKNEY is one of the most significant artists exploring and pushing the boundaries today. He has been engaged with portraiture since his teenage years, his self-portraits, portraits of the family, lovers, friends, and well known subjects represent an intimate visual diary of his life. He has made an exceptionally large variety of portraits, employed pencil, charcoal, pastel, coloured crayon, ink, oil paint and acrylic as well as etching, lithography, photographic collage and watercolour. By his depictions of the human figure and by portraying his own inner and outer social circle in such a large range of different media, he has opened up new horizons which set no boundaries.

His work features in numerous public and private collections worldwide. He has been honoured, recognised and awarded internationally. HOCKNEY was offered a knighthood in 1990 but declined. In 2012, Queen Elizabeth II appointed him to the Order of Merit, an honour restricted to 24 members at any one time for their contribution to Arts and Sciences.

In a 2011 poll of more than 1,000 BRITISH artists, DAVID HOCKNEY was voted the most influential BRITISH artist of all time. He continues to paint and exhibit, and advocates for funding of the Arts.