CHRISTOPHER SIMON SYKES

As seen in Drawing From Life exhibition at National Portrait Gallery, 2023In this fascinating and entertaining second volume, Christopher Sykes explores the life and work of Britains most popular living artist.David Hockneys career has spanned and epitomised the art movements of the past five decades. Volume 1 covered his early life: his precocious achievement at Bradford Art College and the Swinging 60s in London, where he befriended many of the iconic cultural figures of the generation. Picking up Hockneys story in 1975, this volume finds him flitting between Notting Hill and California, where he took inspiration for the swimming pool series of paintings; creating the acclaimed set designs for operas around the world; and embracing emerging technologies the camera and fax machine in the 1970s and 80s, and most recently the iPad. Hockneys boundless energy extends to his personal life too, and this volume illuminates the glamorous circles he moved in, as well as his sometimes turbulent relationships.With unprecedented access to Hockneys paintings, notebooks, diaries and the man himself, this second volume continues the lively and revelatory account of an acclaimed artist and an extraordinary man.

The astounding first volume, exploring the fascinating world of the most popular living artist in Britain today.As seen in Drawing From Life exhibition at National Portrait Gallery, 2023David Hockneys career has spanned and epitomised the art movements of the last five decades. His story is one of precocious achievement at Bradford Art College, the Swinging 60s in London where he befriended many of the iconic cultural figures of the generation, to California and the cool of the swimming pool series of paintings, through the acclaimed set designs for countless operas around the world and major retrospective exhibitions at The Tate and The Royal Academy of Art.With unprecedented access to interviews, family and friends and Hockneys own notebooks and paintings, this volume will deliver an honest and revelatory account of the man who many believe to be Britains greatest living artist.