David Hockney has paid tribute to his carers and closest circle in his latest series of paintings, including the man who makes his glasses.
Mr Hockney, who is revered for his landscapes and contributions to pop art, will exhibit new portraits including those of his full-time carers at the Serpentine North gallery in Hyde Park from March 12 to August 23.
In recent years, 88-year-old Mr Hockney has suffered from an ill bill of health, including a minor stroke in 2013.
However, he has continued to paint and his latest exhibit pays homage to members of his inner circle, including portraits of Thomas Mupfupi, one of his carers, and Jack Ransome, who makes his glasses.
Mr Hockney said: ‘I have always believed that art should be a deep pleasure. There is always, everywhere, an enormous amount of suffering, but I believe that my duty as an artist is to overcome and alleviate the sterility of despair.
‘New ways of seeing mean new ways of feeling… I do believe that painting can change the world.’
In total, the exhibit will comprise of five still lifes and five portraits.
Portraits of Mr Hockney’s family members are also among those featured, as well as a printed mural of his garden at his 17th century home in Normandy, France, which he digitally produced on an iPad.
David Hockney’s latest exhibit pays homage to members of his close circle, including portraits of his carers
A portrait of Thomas Mupfupi, one of David Hockney’s carers
Hockney’s portrait of Jack Ransome – the man who makes his glasses
Bradford native Hockney’s career spans over six decades. In 1962, he graduated from the Royal College of Art in London in 1962 and lived in the city until 1973.
In 1964, he relocated to Los Angeles and did not return to Britain until 2003.
However, he returned to Los Angeles following the death of his studio assistant in 2013. 23-year-old Dominic Elliot died after ingesting Class A drugs, alcohol and household drain cleaner at the artist’s Yorkshire home.
In 2019, Mr Hockney’s 1972 work Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures) was noted as the highest price ever paid at auction for a painting – at $90.3million – by a living artist at the time of selling in 2018.
He purchased his Normandy residence the same year before returning to Britain once more in 2024. He has not made public the details of his health problems.
Hans Ulrich Obrist, artistic director of Serpentine, said: ‘At 88, David Hockney continues to explore the language of painting with remarkable ingenuity, fusing figurative and abstract modes across still lifes, portraits, and a panoramic frieze comprising more than 100 iPad paintings.
‘In his new portraits, he captures not only his sitters but also the very act of seeing, while the frieze offers a deeply personal meditation on the passage of time.’
Bettina Korek, Serpentine’s chief executive, added: ‘David Hockney’s work invites us to slow down, to look closely, and to reconnect with the world around us.’
