The World According to David Hockney

A collection of legendary British artist David Hockney’s insights into art, life, nature, creativity and much more.

‘I’ve always been a looker ... that’s what artists do’

This anthology of quotations by David Hockney follows in the successful format of ‘The World According to’ series. Ranging across topics including drawing, photography, nature, creativity, the internet and much more, The World According to David Hockney offers a delightful and engaging overview of the artist’s inimitable spirit, personality and opinions.

From everyday observations – ‘The eye is always moving; if it isn’t moving you are dead’ – to artistic insights such as ‘painted colour always will be better than printed colour, because it is the pigment itself’, as well as musings on other image makers, including Caravaggio, Cézanne and Hokusai, Hockney has a knack for capturing profound truths in pithy statements.

Born in Bradford, England, in 1937, Hockney attended art school in London before moving to Los Angeles in the 1960s. There, he painted his famous swimming pool paintings, and since then has embraced a range of media including photocollage, video and digital technologies. In a 2011 poll of more than 1,000 British artists, Hockney was voted the most influential British artist of all time.

Presented as a beautifully designed and attractive package, illustrated with works of art from throughout Hockney's career, this is the perfect gift for art lovers everywhere.

Review

'Will make you think about everything from creativity to appreciation. It is also probably the nearest we will get to Hockney’s explanation of his own work – or, at least, an insight into the mind behind it ... I love it' - Artbookreview

'Thanks to his sharp wit and turn of phrase, the British artist’s voice is almost as distinctive as his line' - Observer

'Drawing, according to Hockney, "makes you see things clearer and clearer, and clearer still", and this book holds an abundance of clarity. His musings on life, art, nature, photography and technology are dispersed among his most famous paintings. A perfect companion to an artist who is "incapable of saying a boring thing"' - Daily Mail

'This delightful little book is like a life raft in a stormy sea. As easy to read through as it is to dip into, it digests David’s thoughts into bite-size chunks that answer almost every question you have and also make you think further ... an enjoyable way to spend time in [Hockney's] company' - Henry Malt, The Artist

'A delightful and engaging overview of the artist’s inimitable spirit, personality and opinions' - Artists & Illustrators

'A delightful anthology of the British artist’s pithy observations on life, art, artists, nature, creativity, technology, photography and more―all interspersed with works of art created throughout his legendary and admirable career… [A] little gem of a book…the perfect gift or coffee table book for artists and art lovers everywhere' - Artists Magazine

'From his views on art and creativity to his take on digital life, this fascinating book gives an overview of the artist's thoughts and opinions' - Good Housekeeping

About the Author

David Hockney is one of the most influential British artists of the 20th century. He has produced work in almost every medium – painting, drawing, stage design, photography and printmaking – and has stretched the boundaries of all of them. His groundbreaking Secret Knowledge: Rediscovering the Lost Techniques of the Old Masters is published by Thames & Hudson, as are his books in partnership with Martin Gayford: A Bigger Message (2011), A History of Pictures (2016) and Spring Cannot be Cancelled (2021). Born in 1937, he continues to create and exhibit art, and to inspire enormous affection and admiration worldwide. Martin Gayford is a writer and art critic. His books include Man with a Blue Scarf (about the experience of being painted by Lucian Freud), Modernists and Mavericks, Shaping the World (with Antony Gormley), Love Lucian: The Letters of Lucian Freud, 1939–1954 (with David Dawson), and Venice: City of Pictures, all published by Thames & Hudson.