British Artist David Hockney Dies at 88
The prolific painter known for his sunny landscape pool scenes at one point held the record for the most expensive piece sold at auction by a living artist
Beloved British artist David Hockney died at his home in London on Thursday, his publicist announced. He was 88. Hockney, who captured the public with his sun-drenched pool scenes following his move to Southern California in the 1960s, never stopped creating during his prolific lifetime. In 2010, he began producing a series of digital works using the iPad, embracing technology as an artistic tool rather than shying away from it.
During Covid, he created digital works of the evolving trees and fields in Normandy, where he was staying, and sent them to a select group of friends. At an extensive 2025 show staged inside the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris, 220 of those digital works were on display, with his words “Do Remember, they can’t cancel spring” serving as a welcome to visitors. Hockney, who was later confined to a wheelchair, traveled to Paris from his London home to see the exhibition before it opened and had been deeply involved in its preparation.
“Like all artists, he likes to be in control,” Sir Norman Rosenthal, the guest curator of the exhibition, said. “But rightly so. He’s one of the spectacular ones—varied, inventive, consistent.”
This is a developing story. Please continue to check back for updates.