David Hockney is born on July 9, 1937. He attends the College of art in his hometown Bradford from 1953 to 1957, and the Royal College of Art in London from 1959 to 1962. He teaches at the Maidstone College of Art in London in 1962/63, followed by a stay in Iowa, where he is guest lecturer at the University of Iowa and at the University of Colorado, Boulder College in 1965. He then teaches at the California University in Los Angeles in 1966/67.
As of 1960 David Hockney lives in Californian, just interrupted by longer stays in London and Paris in 1968 and 1975. At the same time, the artist finds a clear and cool use of forms in his pictures. He integrates autobiographic details that he takes Polaroid pictures of, in a factual manner. He starts using acrylic as of 1964. The "Shower-Pictures" and the "Domestic Scenes" (1963) originate from snapshots. The pictures seem to be very static.
The work group of Photo collages are made in the late 70s. Hockney takes photos of the object from various, just slightly different perspectives, making countless Polaroid pictures, recreating the initial motif by putting the images together or overlapping them, making the motif looked cracked.
A new work group comes to life as of the late 80s. By dealing with the new media, Hockney has the idea of creating multicolor copy prints and abstract computer prints.
As of 1975 David Hockney makes many stage designs, for example for Alfred Jarry's surrealist play "Ubu Roi" at the Royal Court Theatre in London. He also makes the stage design for "The Rake's Progress" by Strawinsky and "The Magic Flute" by Mozart at the Glyndebourne Opera in 1975 and 1978. He also does several designs for the Metropolitan Opera in New York as of 1981, and works for the Eye and Ear Theatre in New York as of 1983. Additionally, he creates works for the Los Angeles Music Center Opera and the Royal Opera House in London.
The artist David Hockney lives and works in London and Los Angeles.