David Hockney Quotes

A collection of quotes by David Hockney.

David Hockney is a renowned British artist, considered one of the most influential figures in the art world. Born on July 9, 1937, in Bradford, England, Hockney showed an early talent for drawing and painting. He attended the Bradford School of Art before pursuing a degree at the Royal College of Art in London.

During the 1960s, Hockney gained recognition for his unique style, often combining sleek modernism with vibrant colors. He became associated with the British Pop Art movement and gained acclaim for his iconic swimming pool paintings, which captured the essence of the Californian lifestyle. Hockney's experimentation with various artistic mediums, such as photography, printmaking, and set design, further established his reputation as a versatile and groundbreaking artist.

Throughout his career, Hockney has received numerous accolades, including being appointed as a Companion of Honour in 1997, a distinction for individuals who have made significant contributions to the arts. His works have been exhibited in prestigious galleries worldwide, including the Tate Gallery in London, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the Centre Pompidou in Paris.

Beyond his artistic endeavors, Hockney has been an advocate for gay rights and openly gay himself. He has written extensively on the subject and, in his later years, has become an enthusiastic user of digital painting and drawing tools. Hockney's work continues to inspire and captivate audiences globally, solidifying his status as a true visionary in the art world.

I go and see anything that's visually new, any technology th

I go and see anything that's visually new, any technology that's about picture-making. The technology won't make the pictures different, but someone using it will.

You had to be aware that I saw that photography was a mere e

You had to be aware that I saw that photography was a mere episode in the history of the optical projection and when the chemicals ended, meaning the picture was fixed by chemicals, we were in a new era.

What an artist is trying to do for people is bring them clos

What an artist is trying to do for people is bring them closer to something, because of course art is about sharing. You wouldn't be an artist unless you wanted to share an experience, a thought.

Cubism was an attack on the perspective that had been known

Cubism was an attack on the perspective that had been known and used for 500 years. It was the first big, big change. It confused people: they said, 'Things don't look like that!'

I was always struck by how Picasso had no interest in music.

I was always struck by how Picasso had no interest in music.

I went to art school actually when I was sixteen years old.

I went to art school actually when I was sixteen years old.

We live in an age where the artist is forgotten. He is a res

We live in an age where the artist is forgotten. He is a researcher. I see myself that way.

Television is becoming a collage -- there are so many channe

Television is becoming a collage -- there are so many channels that you move through them making a collage yourself. In that sense, everyone sees something a bit different.

Art has to move you and design does not, unless it's a good

Art has to move you and design does not, unless it's a good design for a bus.

If we are to change our world view, images have to change. T

If we are to change our world view, images have to change. The artist now has a very important job to do. He's not a little peripheral figure entertaining rich people, he's really needed.

I did come from a pretty independent-minded family.

I did come from a pretty independent-minded family.

To me, the world's rather beautiful if you look at it. Espec

To me, the world's rather beautiful if you look at it. Especially nature.

Anyway I feel myself a bit on the edge on the art world, but

Anyway I feel myself a bit on the edge on the art world, but I don't mind, I'm just pursuing my work in a very excited way. And there isn't really a mainstream anymore, is there?

In my old age, I'll be in L.A.

In my old age, I'll be in L.A.

Well you can't teach the poetry, but you can teach the craft

Well you can't teach the poetry, but you can teach the craft.

I'm interested in all kinds of pictures, however they are ma

I'm interested in all kinds of pictures, however they are made, with cameras, with paint brushes, with computers, with anything.

I draw flowers every day and send them to my friends so they

I draw flowers every day and send them to my friends so they get fresh blooms every morning.

I think my father would have liked to have been an artist, a

I think my father would have liked to have been an artist, actually. But I think he didn't quite have perhaps the drive or, I don't know, I mean he had a family to bring up I suppose.

Shadows sometimes people don't see shadows. The Chinese of c

Shadows sometimes people don't see shadows. The Chinese of course never paint them in pictures, oriental art never deals with shadow. But I noticed these shadows and I knew it meant it was sunny.

Listening is a positive act: you have to put yourself out to

Listening is a positive act: you have to put yourself out to do it.