THE CALIFORNIA FACTOR, THE SPLASH AND SWIMMING POOLS OF DAVID HOCKNEY
THERE WAS A BIG SALE AT SOTHEBYS LONDON FOR HOCKNEY. IT WAS ANOTHER SPLASH AT 28 MILLION POUNDS BUT FAR LOWER THAN THE 85 MILLION DOLLARS PAID IN NY FOR ANOTHER SPLASH OF HIS.
I MUST ADMIT THAT THESE PAINTINGS HAVE SOMETHING UNIQUE, SOMETHING FRESH AND HISTORICAL THAT OVER THE LAST 50-60 YEARS HAS BEEN LOST SOMEHOW IN CONTEMPORARY ART THAT HAS LOST ITS WAY AND ITS REASON DE ETRE WITH ART THAT I FIND UNACCEPTABLE AND SO EPHIMERAL THAT I ALREADY FORGOT ABOUT IT..
LIKE MONET, DAVID HOCKNEY DEPICTED FOR US THE SWIMMING POOLS OF CALIFORNIA, THAT SPLASH OF THE SPLIT SECONDS IN WEEKS OF PAINTING LARGE CANVASES. YET ALL LOOKS IMPRESSIONIST IN MOMENTS OF TIME BUT REALIST IN ART, SURREAL IN SOME WAYS TOO.
A PARADOX IN HOCKNEY IS INCREASINGLY BECOMING THE NEW ART OF TODAY, THE NEW MASTER PIECES OF TOMORROW THAT PROMISE TO BREAK ALL THE RECORDS OF ARTISTS OF THE 19TH AND 20TH CENTURIES.
WELL DONE THE ENGLISHMAN!!!
PETER CONSTANT
