"Exploring David Hockney's Spectacular Exhibition in Paris: 'David Hockney 25'"
David Hockney's Monumental Retrospective Opens at Fondation Louis Vuitton
David Hockney's largest ever exhibition, 'David Hockney 25', is now open at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris. The exhibition, spanning 70 years from 1955 to 2025, features over 400 works across 11 galleries, providing a comprehensive look into the artist's expansive pictorial research and artistic journey[1][3].
The exhibition showcases key themes and works from Hockney's early career to his most recent creations. Notable early works include 'A Bigger Splash' (1967) and 'Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures)' (1972), which capture a uniquely Californian atmosphere marked by optimism, warmth, and modernist simplicity[3].
Hockney's later works, particularly those created over the last 25 years, reflect his time in Yorkshire, Normandy, and London. Landscapes such as 'May Blossom on the Roman Road' and 'Bigger Trees near Water' are prominently featured[3].
One of the exhibition's highlights is Hockney's exploration and reinvention of perspective, notably his development of 'reverse perspective' inspired by Chinese asymmetrical perspective, which he pursued during his artistic journeys in China in the 1980s[1]. The exhibition also features digital works and iPad drawings, illustrating Hockney’s embrace of technology as a revolutionary chapter in his artistic evolution[2].
Themes of human connection and identity, such as in 'We Two Boys Together Clinging' (1961), are also explored, using symbolic imagery and coded references to express attraction and identity[5]. Swimming pools and aquatic scenes, a recurrent motif symbolizing leisure, water, light, and reflection in his California period, are also present[2].
The exhibition includes a room dedicated to a series of nocturnal works, where Hockney's moon is a recurring symbol, glowing in a hushed, dark setting[6]. Nature is a prominent theme throughout the exhibition, with landscapes appearing omnipresent[7].
In 2020, while isolating in his Normandy house, Hockney used the phrase, 'Do remember, they can't cancel the spring', in his most recent self-portrait, Play within a Play within a Play and Me with a Cigarette. This phrase is echoed in the subtitle of the exhibition[8].
The exhibition, which runs until the end of August 2025, is housed in Frank Gehry's 11 galleries at Fondation Louis Vuitton, resembling wind-blown glass sails, providing a light-filled setting for the exhibition[9].
The accompanying book for the exhibition, David Hockney, is published by Thames & Hudson in association with Fondation Louis Vuitton and is available on Amazon[10]. Visitors can view 'David Hockney 25' at Fondation Louis Vuitton, Paris, from 9 April to 31 August 2025[4].
[1] https://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/hockney-paints-the-stage-at-fondation-louis-vuitton [2] https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2021/apr/08/david-hockney-paints-the-stage-exhibition-fondation-louis-vuitton-paris [3] https://www.fondationlouisvuitton.fr/en/exhibition/david-hockney-25 [4] https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/news/david-hockney-exhibition-fondation-louis-vuitton-b1874669.html [5] https://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/hockney-reveals-the-secrets-of-his-early-homoerotic-masterpieces [6] https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2021/apr/08/david-hockney-paints-the-stage-exhibition-fondation-louis-vuitton-paris [7] https://www.fondationlouisvuitton.fr/en/exhibition/david-hockney-25 [8] https://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/david-hockney-paints-the-stage-at-fondation-louis-vuitton [9] https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/david-hockney-exhibition-fondation-louis-vuitton-paris [10] https://www.thamesandhudson.com/david-hockney/9780500094349
David Hockney's home in Normandy, a significant location in his later works, provides an idyllic backdrop for his depictions of landscapes. Visitors to the 'David Hockney 25' exhibition at Fondation Louis Vuitton can explore various aspects of the artist's lifestyle, including his home-and-garden scenes.
