David Hockney, artist renowned for his pool scenes, dies at 88

London: David Hockney, whose paintings of sunlit pools in Los Angeles became icons of 20th-century art, died Thursday, his publicist Erica Bolton said. He was 88.

Born in Bradford, England, Hockney spent much of his life in Southern California, capturing suburban vistas in his distinctive flattened, colourful style. 

Later, he returned to Europe, drawing inspiration from Yorkshire’s wooded hills and Normandy’s fields.

Historian Simon Schama praised Hockney’s enduring appeal, writing in 2025 that millions worldwide flocked to his work “because it presupposes an expectation of pleasure.”

A central figure in the 1960s British and American art scenes, Hockney explored erotic themes and celebrated gay relationships in works like We Two Boys Together Clinging. His 1972 painting Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures) sold for USD 90.3 million, setting a record for a living artist.

Hockney’s oeuvre blended joy, innovation, and a mastery of light and form.

–AP