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David Hockney Dies at 88, Leaving a Lasting Art Legacy

Tributes pour in for the celebrated British artist and contemporary art icon.

  • Publish date: since 4 days Reading time: two min read
David Hockney Dies at 88, Leaving a Lasting Art Legacy
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British artist David Hockney, known for his bold use of colour and technology, has died at the age of 88.

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A statement from Hockney's staff said: “The celebrated British artist David Hockney, one of the most important figures in contemporary art in both the 20th and 21st centuries, passed away peacefully at home on 11th June, 2026, one month short of his 89th birthday.”

In 2018, his painting Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures) was sold at auction in New York for $90 million (£70 million), setting a record for a work by a living artist.

He was long seen as a “national treasure”. With his large round glasses, soft Yorkshire accent and bleached blond hair, later replaced by a series of flat caps, his look was as well known as his art.

Hockney often drew on art history, from Renaissance masters to the abstract expressionism of Jackson Pollock, but he always followed his own path and did not follow art trends.

As an art school rebel, he was first denied a diploma because he refused to complete an essay assignment, saying he should be judged on his art alone.

At the start of his career, when abstract art was the main trend in the avant-garde world, he chose figurative painting instead, often using bright colours and a primitivist style.

He grew up under the grey skies of Bradford in northern England, then fell in love with the light and freedom of 1960s California, where he made his main home for 40 years.

In later years, he also embraced technology, creating flowers and landscapes on an iPad. When some critics said his focus on landscape painting was a step back, he made it clear he “didn’t give a damn” about such criticism.

Tributes

Keir Starmer led tributes to the major figure in contemporary art, who died peacefully at home on June 11.

“The Prime Minister is saddened to hear of the death of David Hockney, one of Britain’s most celebrated artists," a spokeswoman said. “His vivid, instantly recognisable work influenced generations of artists."

This article was previously published on bahrainmoments. To see the original article, click here

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