"Exploration of David Hockney's blockbuster art exhibition in Paris: 'David Hockney 25'"
The exhibition 'David Hockney 25' at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris, running from 2020 to 2025, presents the artist's most extensive collection of works, spanning over seven decades of his career. With a focus on the themes of landscape, portraiture, and the exploration of perception and color, the exhibition features more than 400 pieces created between 1955 and 2025.
Hockney's work, especially after 1990 when he spent more time in Yorkshire, often features landscapes of the region. His recent self-portrait, Play within a Play within a Play and Me with a Cigarette, showcases him splendidly attired in a tweed suit, working in a garden surrounded by daffodils.
The exhibition also includes works created during Hockney's time in London and California. One such piece is Le Grande Cour, composed of 24 ink drawings inspired by his stay in Bayeux, reminiscent of the Bayeux tapestry.
The Normandy work, created between 2019 and 2023, documents the changing seasons and the minutiae of daily life. This series of 220 views captures the beauty of Normandy in a way that resonates with the classical English landscapes of JMW Turner and John Constable, but with a riot of bold color.
Innovative technology, such as the iPad, is not shied away from in Hockney's work, facilitating repetition without diminishing the respect afforded to the works. The exhibition demonstrates Hockney's continuous evolution across multiple mediums and decades, celebrating his innovative approach to art.
The exhibition does not shy away from the unexpected. Hockney's later works can take unexpected forms, such as incorporating the apparel of the stage into his work from the 1960s onwards.
The accompanying book for the exhibition, David Hockney, edited by Norman Rosenthal, is published by Thames & Hudson in association with Fondation Louis Vuitton. The book is also available from Amazon.
Frank Gehry's 11 galleries at Fondation Louis Vuitton, resembling wind-blown glass sails, provide a light-filled setting for the exhibition. A room dedicated to a series of nocturnal works is particularly striking, featuring hushed and shrouded pieces where Hockney's moon glows as a symbol of permeance.
In 2020, while isolating in his Normandy house, Hockney created the phrase, 'Do remember, they can't cancel the spring'. This optimistic sentiment is reflected in the exhibition, offering a vibrant and immersive visual experience that celebrates the beauty of the world around us.
[1] The exhibition focuses particularly on Hockney's later career, with special attention given to works created over the last 25 years. The exhibition is open to the public from 9 April to 31 August 2025.
- Visitors to the David Hockney 25 exhibition can explore the artist's later works, which often incorporate elements of music, as seen in his pieces that feature the apparel of the stage from the 1960s onwards.
- In addition to the vast collection of Hockney's works, the exhibition offers an immersive entertainment experience, with a focus on his innovative approaches to music and art.
