Spring cannot be cancelled

This is a joyful, uplifting book particularly during the pandemic and lockdown.

David Hockney chronicles with art historian and writer Martin Gayford the former’s decision aged 83 to move to Normandy to depict the spring by drawing this on his iPad.

To make such a decision at that age and to paint in a new format shows what a remarkable man Hockney is.

It’s one  of my few criticisms of this book that we are given no explanation as to how Hockney paints on an iPad.

We are told that he has a techie advisor and I guess it was some form of software/app but perhaps the artist wants to keep it to himself.

The product is a colourful depictions of trees, blossom and water but with the impression that these are dashed off though Hockney has always painted quickly.

Martin Gayford had written a previous book on sitting with Lucian Freud and conversations with David Hockney.

Gayford observed that Freud can take a year for a portrait, Hockney three days.

There are a number of paradoxes about Hockney.

He often states in this book that he does not like visitors as they distract from his painting but he comes across as a chatty, even garrulous, man enjoying company and an entertaining and well-informed conversationalist.

He has been critical of digital art but adopts it.

Some artists like Rembrandt and John Constable did not travel others like Durer, Rubens and Titian did.

Hockney has lived in East Yorkshire, Paris, Los Angeles and now Normandy where he may – like Monet – see out his days.

I will be so relieved when the pandemic is over as people – especially old people – tend to talk of little else.

Hockney avoids the subject – it is only Gayford that raises it.

I’m waiting for the new strain – Celebrity Covid.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This