David Hockney Dies at 88: A Life in Quotes
British painter David Hockney has died at age 88. Known for his sharp wit, he left a trove of memorable remarks. He dismissed Gerhard Richter's work as lacking depth, called Jeff Koons a "terrible painter," and defended smoking, saying it's good for the eyes. He criticized environmental destruction and the alcohol lobby's influence on cannabis laws. Hockney declared painting the true avant-garde, not photography, and mused on perception: "Surface is an illusion, depth too." He sat 120 hours for a Lucian Freud portrait, noting Freud liked to chat while he worked. Despite doom-sayers, he believed "it simply goes on and on."
Key facts
- David Hockney died at age 88.
- He criticized Gerhard Richter in a 2015 Monopol interview.
- He called Jeff Koons a 'terrible painter' in a 2015 Guardian interview.
- He defended smoking, citing Balthus, in a 2005 Monopol interview.
- He sat 120 hours for a portrait by Lucian Freud.
- He said 'Surface is an illusion, depth too' as subtitle of his 1988 film.
- He argued painting, not photography, is the avant-garde.
- He believed 'it simply goes on and on' about the world's end.
Entities
Artists
- David Hockney
- Gerhard Richter
- Jeff Koons
- Balthus
- Lucian Freud
- Christian Kracht
Institutions
- Monopol
- The Guardian
- The Independent
- Die Zeit