David Hockney, the British artist celebrated for his paintings of swimming pools and landscapes, died on Thursday at his home in London. He was 88 years old, passing away a few weeks before his 89th birthday. His representatives confirmed that he died peacefully, but did not provide a cause of death.
Early Life and Education
David Hockney was born on July 9, 1937, in Bradford, England. He studied at the Bradford School of Art and later attended the Royal College of Art in London, graduating in 1962. He gained early recognition in the 1960s.
Artistic Career
Hockney became a prominent figure in the Pop Art movement. He began his career exploring abstract expressionism but adopted a figurative style after moving to Los Angeles in 1964. He later lived in Southern California for much of his life before returning to Europe, where he found inspiration in the landscapes of Yorkshire, England, and Normandy, France.
His body of work spans painting, drawing, collage, photography, film, and digital media, including iPad drawings. Notable works include the swimming pool scenes Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures) (1972) and A Bigger Splash (1967), as well as Mr. and Mrs. Clark and Percy (1971).
In addition to fine art, Hockney designed sets for opera companies in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, and London. In 2018, he designed a stained-glass window that was installed at Westminster Abbey.
Auction Records
In 2018, Hockney’s 1972 painting Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures) sold for $90.3 million (later reported as $124 million including fees) at auction. At the time, this was a record price for a work by a living artist. Other notable sales include Henry Geldzahler and Christopher Scott for $49.5 million and Nichols Canyon for over $41 million.
Later Years and Legacy
Hockney continued working into his late 80s, despite experiencing a minor stroke in 2012 and hearing loss in later years. He used a wheelchair to paint at his London studio. He created digital landscapes during the Covid-19 pandemic and prepared projects for showcase in 2025, including a major exhibition at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris. Tate Britain is finalizing two projects Hockney was preparing for 2025.
He was appointed a Companion of Honour and received the Order of Merit from Queen Elizabeth II in 2012. Major retrospectives of his work were held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Centre Pompidou, and Tate Modern.
Personal Life
Hockney was an openly gay man and incorporated gay themes into his early works. He is survived by his partner Jean-Pierre Gonçalves de Lima, his great-nephew Richard Hockney, brothers Philip and John, and other relatives. His brother John Hockney migrated to Australia in the late 1960s and published a book about the family in 2019.
Statements from Public Figures
Following his death, several public figures issued statements:
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy described Hockney as a "true titan of British art."
Prime Minister Keir Starmer praised his "vivid, instantly recognisable work."
London Mayor Sadiq Khan called Hockney a "true icon and revolutionary of British art who never stopped reinventing his work."
Billionaire entrepreneur James Dyson referred to Hockney as "a creative genius."
Art historian Richard Morris wrote that "British art has lost a giant."