When you think about his road to becoming one of the most popular living British artists (little wonder that postcards reproduced with his 1971 masterpiece Mr& Mrs Clark and Percy are hot sellers at the Tate Museum), you won’t be surprised to discover that during his childhood, David Hockney drew cartoons of Jesus much to his Sunday school teacher’s consternation.
This exhibition features rare lithographs and prints from the Singapore Art Museum’s Tyler Collection. The effervescently hued works delve into the 72-year-old icon’s personal experiences with family, close friends and his living environment.
As much as it sheds light on the artist’s personal narrative and signature techniques of layering multiple perspectives and mixing mediums, it also celebrates the influential role of his collaborator, master printmaker Kenneth E. Tyler.
Expect to gawp at Hockney’s oeuvre from the 1980s, which includes the impressive Images of Celia (1984), a stylistic mash-up of lithography, screenprinting and collage, paying homage to Cubism.
Clever observers will also notice that the model for the work was Celia Birtwell, a popular British fashion designer from the Swinging London era and a close friend of the artist, was also heavily influenced by Pablo Picasso.
And to cap it all off, there is also an inkjet print of Hockney’s recent dabbling with Apple’s iPhone and iPad, showcasing the innovative spirit of this grand master.
Catch David Hockney: Through the Eyes of the Artist through Jul 30 at Singapore Tyler Print Institute, 41 Robertson Quay, 6336-3663. Free.
