Renowned British artist David Hockney, widely regarded as one of the greatest painters of our time, continues to captivate the art world at age 88 with his vibrant depictions of the Norman countryside in France. The legendary artist, who became internationally famous for his iconic California pool paintings, has found fresh inspiration in the rolling landscapes of Normandy, where he relocated several years ago. Despite his advanced age, Hockney has retained his distinctive pop art sensibility and boundless creative energy.
Hockney's latest works burst with what can be described as small explosions of light, celebrating the simple daily pleasures of rural life. His paintings capture the break of dawn and feature almost childlike suns, reflecting the solar personality of this master artist. Summer has always been a source of inspiration for Hockney throughout his six-decade career. In the 1960s, the British artist first discovered California and its swimming pools, creating iconic paintings that would eventually make him the world's most expensive living pop artist.
'People think I spend my whole life by the pool, when I actually spend my life painting,' Hockney remarked with characteristic humor in a 1999 interview. However, in recent years, he has dramatically changed his artistic setting. Bidding farewell to the turquoise pools of California, he has embraced the meadows and hedgerows of the Norman bocage countryside. In 2019, Hockney purchased an old half-timbered house in Normandy, marking a significant shift not only in location but also in his artistic medium.
In this new environment, Hockney has abandoned the traditional easel and now creates his art on a tablet device. Technology has become the sketchbook for this eternally curious artist, allowing him to explore new creative possibilities. When the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, painting on an iPad took on even greater significance. During lockdown, the confined artist could instantly send his digital drawings to friends around the world, sharing his artistic vision despite physical isolation.
Hockney's pandemic works featured sunny landscapes accompanied by messages of hope, including the poignant reminder: 'Remember, they can't cancel spring.' Even during the darkest and most depressing days of the global crisis, the painter chose to celebrate the arrival of spring and the renewal of life. Remarkably, Hockney had never been as productive as he was during the confinement period, creating an astonishing 220 paintings of the same landscape view from his Norman home.
Even while confined to his residence, Hockney's superpower remained his ability to marvel at everything he observed around him. At 88 years old, the artist has preserved his childlike wonder and curiosity about the world. 'Landscapes are never boring because they are nature,' Hockney explains. 'It's only the representations we make of them that can be bland. You just have to do something different, and that's what I've tried to do all my life.'
This philosophy of finding beauty in the everyday has resonated with audiences worldwide. Shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic, Hockney's Norman and digital sun illuminated major cities including New York, Tokyo, and London through large-scale exhibitions and digital displays. His rays of light seemed to invade urban spaces, serving as an invitation for city dwellers to take time to observe and appreciate the beauty of nature that surrounds them, even in metropolitan environments.
