David Hockney: Drawing from Life

This long-awaited exhibition returns to the National Portrait Gallery in London – its first iteration closed after 20 days in 2020, due to the pandemic – to take a close look at five people whose portraits David Hockney has painted repeatedly throughout his 60-year career (2 November–21 January 2024). Through studies of Celia Birtwell, Gregory Evans, Maurice Payne, the artist’s mother and Hockney himself, it reveals the importance of a familiarity with the sitter in his practise. The evolution of Hockney’s style can be traced through pieces ranging from early portraits in pencil, including Celia, Carennac, August 1971 (1971), through to new works such as Self-Portrait, 22 November 2021 (2021). Other recent portraits have joined the original line-up, including a 2022 painting of the pop star Harry Styles. Find out more on the NPG’s website.

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