Legendary Artist David Hockney Dies at 88, Taught in Iowa
David Hockney, voted the most influential British artist of all time, has died at the age of 88. His publicist, Erica Bolton, confirmed he passed away peacefully at his home in London on Thursday. While globally recognized for his vibrant California pool scenes, Hockney also spent part of his early career teaching right here in Iowa.
A Relentless Work Ethic and Love for Freedom
Hockney was working right up until his death. An exhibition of his work, A Year in Normandie and Some Other Thoughts About Painting, is currently running at the Serpentine North Gallery in London. He lived by a slogan pinned to his studio wall: “Inspiration. She does not visit the lazy.”
“I think I'm greedy, but I'm not greedy for money. I'm greedy for an exciting life. I want it to be exciting all the time, and I intend to have it exciting until the day I fall over.”
He was a fierce defender of personal liberty. Known for his flat cap, round glasses, and ever-present cigarette, Hockney famously rejected anti-smoking nagging. “I've had three doctors in the past 40 or so years. They all told me to give up smoking and now they're all dead,” he once said. He even wore a badge that read “end bossiness soon,” a sentiment that resonates with anyone tired of government overreach and excessive regulations.
The Iowa Connection
Born in Bradford, West Yorkshire, in 1937, Hockney rose from a working-class background to the highest echelons of the art world. After studying at the Royal College of Art in London, he set his sights on America. He visited the United States in 1961 and returned in 1964 to teach at the universities of Iowa, Colorado, and California.
He commuted between England and America for years before settling permanently in Los Angeles in 1978. He immediately loved the freedom he found in the states. “The moment I got to America I thought: this is the place,” Hockney recalled. “It was more open, with 24-hour cities and pubs and restaurants that didn't close.”
Rejecting Government Honors
Hockney's independent streak was evident throughout his life. In 1990, he was offered a knighthood by the British government. He turned it down flat. “I don't value prizes of any sort. I value my friends,” he declared. He later accepted the Order of Merit and Companion of Honour, which are personal gifts of the monarch rather than state honors, but his rejection of the establishment's recognition spoke volumes about his character.
Innovation and Resilience
Millions have seen his most famous paintings, including A Bigger Splash from 1967 and Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures). He never let age or physical limitations slow him down. In his 80s, he embraced the iPad as a drawing medium, emailing vibrant digital flower paintings to friends each morning.
“People from the village come up and tease me, 'we hear you've started drawing on your telephone.' And I tell them 'well, no, actually, it's just that occasionally I speak on my sketch pad.'”
He had been profoundly deaf since 1979 and suffered a stroke in 2012 that temporarily impaired his speech. Still, he remained optimistic. “The stroke didn't affect my drawing, and that's the most important thing,” he said. He stayed fit by swimming every morning and could stand for many hours while painting.
Tragic Losses and Enduring Legacy
Hockney's life was not without profound tragedy. Living in New York, London, Los Angeles, and Paris during the height of the AIDS epidemic, he lost countless friends.
“The first person to die of AIDS that I knew was in 1983, and then for ten years it was lots of people. You think about them every day, and then you stop it because there's too many, actually. It would rather drive you mad if you think about it.”
Despite the heartbreak, Hockney's legacy is one of resilience and immense talent. In 2018, his 1972 painting Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures) sold at Christie's in New York for $90 million, becoming the most expensive artwork by a living artist sold at auction at the time. He painted until the very end, leaving behind a body of work that changed how the world sees art.