David Hockney

• Born in Bradford, England, in 1937, David Hockney attended art

school in London before moving to Los Angeles in the 1960s. There,
he painted his famous swimming pool paintings. In the 1970s,
Hockney began working in photography, creating photo collages he
called joiners. He continues to create and exhibit art, and in 2011 he
was voted the most influential British artist of the 20th century.
Early Life and Education

• David Hockney was born in Bradford, England, on July 9, 1937. He

loved books and was interested in art from an early age, admiring
Picasso, Matisse and Fragonard. His parents encouraged their son’s
artistic exploration, and gave him the freedom to doodle and
daydream.
Early Work

• Hockney’s early paintings incorporated his literary leanings, and he

used fragments of poems and quotations from Walt Whitman in his
work. This practice, and paintings such as We Two Boys Clinging
Together, which he created in 1961, were the first nods to his
homosexuality in his art.
Later Work

• In the late 1980s, Hockney returned to painting, primarily painting

seascapes, flowers and portraits of loved ones. He also began incorporating
technology in his art, creating his first homemade prints on a photocopier
in 1986. The marriage of art and technology became an ongoing
fascination—he used laser fax machines and laser printers in 1990, and in
2009 he started using the Brushes app on iPhones and iPads to create
paintings. A 2011 exhibit at the Royal Museum of Ontario showcased 100
of these paintings.
• In a 2011 poll of more than 1,000 British artists, Hockney was voted the
most influential British artist of all time. He continues to paint and exhibit,
and advocates for funding for the arts.