David Hockney, one of the most influential British artists of the past two centuries, has died at the age of 88 at his home in London on Thursday, according to his publicist, Erica Bolton. No cause of death was disclosed. Hockney was widely recognized for his vivid portraits and landscapes, as well as for helping to reshape figurative painting during a period when abstraction dominated the art world. He was also an important figure in the Pop Art movement of the 1960s.
Born on July 9, 1937, in Bradford, West Yorkshire, Hockney was the fourth of five children in a working-class family. His artistic talent emerged early, earning him a scholarship to the local art school. He later studied at the Royal College of Art in London, where he became associated with the emerging British Pop Art scene. When he graduated in 1962 with gold medal distinction, he was already represented by a London gallery.
Hockney developed an instantly recognizable personal style, known for brightly colored plaid suits, mismatched socks, bold glasses, unusual hats, and bleached blond hair. He carried this distinctive image throughout his life. In 1961, he visited New York for the first time, and soon after became deeply drawn to the openness and sexual freedom he felt in the United States. After moving between Britain and America, he made Los Angeles his second home in 1963, inspired by its palm trees, modern architecture, celebrity culture, and bright light.
Many of Hockney’s best-known works were created during his years in California, especially his pool paintings, which became among the most iconic images of his career. He also explored themes of homosexuality in his work at a time when such subjects were still illegal or taboo in Britain. His personal relationships often informed his art, including Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures), which later sold for $90 million in 2018, setting a record at the time for the most expensive artwork by a living artist sold at auction.
Beyond painting, Hockney worked in collage, printmaking, photography, drawing, and later digital art, using iPads and iPhones to create new works. He also designed sets for theater and opera productions around the world. His career was marked by major retrospectives, including a landmark exhibition at Tate Britain in 2017 and another at Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris in 2023 and 2024.
Hockney was known as a celebrity artist with a strong public presence and outspoken views on art, sexuality, and smoking. He declined a British knighthood in 1990 but accepted the Order of Merit in 2012. In later years, he faced hearing loss and reduced his public appearances, though he continued working daily from his London studio, painting from a wheelchair in the hours before his death.
