When I heard of the death of David Hockney yesterday, I immediately ditched my planned series for today so I could replace it with a tribute. Openly gay from the very beginning of his career in the early 1960s, he pushed back against a lot of barriers. One art critic even said he restored the human form to modern art, and his portrayals of gay men were groundbreaking. The 1969 photo above by John Kasmin shows Mr. Hockney (left0 with Ossie Clark and Patrick Proktor near St. Tropez, France.
The art world and the gay world have lost a giant.
You can see David Hockney himself totally nude in his movie "A Bigger Splash". RIP
ReplyDeleteYes!! That's the first thing I thought of. A Bigger Splash was all about his life, his loves and the gorgeous art he made in Los Angeles. What really spoke to me about that film is that it was released at about the same time as Hollywood's so-called Big Gay Breakthrough film "Making Love" which was over-hyped and downright silly. And as for a depiction of gay lifestyle at the time, A Bigger Splash was infinitely superior.
DeleteI need to find A Bigger Splash online and watch it.
DeleteRead "David Hockney's Sense of Style Never Wavered" in yesterday's New York Times for a wonderful article about how Hockney's wardrobe "roared with mirth and maximalism." With several photo examples thereof.
ReplyDeleteHis look was distinctive.
DeleteRendez-vous à Saint-Tropez.
ReplyDeleteNow all three are gone - the painter, the printer and the
Although we knew it would come, somehow he seemed immortal. For so many gay men, he was our inspiration. A way to lead our lives. Strong, defiant, always in a "so what, I'm gay" way. His body of work, always totally accessible, yet sublime and with deep humanity.
ReplyDeleteAnd he did it all with his own unique style.
DeleteAha....that's why WFMU had his interview on their podcast this morning!
ReplyDeleteSome links:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Hockney-64
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hockney