David Hockney's Wit and Wisdom: Eight Quotes on Art, Life, and Smoking
David Hockney, the renowned British artist known for his candid views, recently shared his thoughts on various subjects. He criticized the decline of bohemian culture and expressed discontent with present-day anti-smoking efforts. Hockney, who famously challenged conventions at the Royal College of Art, remarked that many contemporary artists seem to lack real skill. He emphasized that true artistry should be evaluated on creative output rather than rhetoric. Describing the human face as captivating, he concluded with a playful jab at soaring art prices, jesting that auctioneers are the only ones who appreciate all forms of art.
Key facts
- David Hockney refused to submit a life drawing of a female model and an academic essay at the Royal College of Art, instead offering a drawing of a male bodybuilder titled 'Life Painting for a Diploma'.
- Hockney said 'Bohemia was against the suburbs, and now the suburbs have taken over' and linked anti-smoking to anti-Bohemia.
- Hockney called Damien Hirst's paintings 'terrible' and Jeff Koons 'a terrible painter'.
- Hockney stated 'In a sense, faces are the most interesting things we see... the face. It tells all.'
- Hockney said 'There's no need to believe what an artist says. Believe what he does; that's what counts.'
- Hockney argued Old Masters used optical aids, writing in 'Secret Knowledge' (2006) that 'the lens can't draw a line, only the hand can do that'.
- Hockney created over 40 paintings of his dachshunds Stanley and Boodgie, describing them as 'intelligent, loving, comical'.
- Hockney protested the UK smoking ban in 2005 with a sign 'Death awaits you all even if you do smoke' and called the ban 'the most grotesque piece of social engineering'.
- Hockney quoted Oscar Wilde: 'The only person who likes all kinds of art is an auctioneer.'
- Hockney's 'Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures)' sold at Christie's in 2018.
Entities
Artists
- David Hockney
- Allen Jones
- Patrick Caulfield
- R.B. Kitaj
- Damien Hirst
- Jeff Koons
- Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres
- Oscar Wilde
- Marco Livingstone
Institutions
- Royal College of Art
- Artnet News
- Christie's
- Sotheby's
- Tate
- Annely Juda Fine Art
- Thames and Hudson
- Labour Party
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- California
- South of France
- Morocco
- Yorkshire Wolds
- Normandy
- New York