Moving Focus by David Hockney

An overview
May 23, 2023
Moving Focus Series by David Hockney

Arguably one of the most influential British artists of all time, David Hockney's artworks have transcended genres and epoques. Known for his bold and inventive use of colour, form and composition, David Hockney's works capture the brilliance of this artist. Prolific across a range of mediums, Hockney has mastered printmaking, photography, stage design, and of course painting over the course of his career. His works take inspiration from a world entirely created through the senses - colour, warmth, texture and depth create vibrant scenes that radiate from the artworks. Never one to slow down, in recent years he has taken to producing works on iPad and, in typical Hockney fashion, the works explode with life as the artist continues in his pursuit of innovative creation. 


Shortly after moving to California in the mid-1970’s David Hocknet established a close working relationship with esteemed printer Kenneth Tyler. With Tyler, Hockney created one of his most beloved series: Moving Focus.


Blending a Renaissance style fixed-viewpoint painting with the aesthetic of varying, multiple viewpoints - the series uses exaggerated perspective and foreshortening to create dramatic scenes that question typical, western composition. Examples include the Tyler Dining Room, Amaryllis in Vase, Pembroke Studio Interior and, most famously, The Perspective Lesson 

 

The Hotel Acatlán prints were born out of seeming frustration or, better said, an unfortunate mechanical issue with his car. Much to the benefit of 20th Century art, whilst travelling to Mexico City Hockney’s car experienced troubles forcing the artist to stop on route. Hotel Acatlán: Second Day is based on sketches made of the hotel courtyard shortly after his arrival. On his return journey, the sketches that he produced were later crafted into Hotel Acatlán: Two Weeks Later which also refers to one of his earliest prints, his 1954 portrait of his mother, Woman with a Sewing Machine.


Hotel Acatlán was further explored and used as the subject matter for the three Hotel Well lithographs which each provided a different viewpoint of the central courtyard. Each of the fabulous works with their slanted, almost cubist perspective are framed at the artist’s request in hand-painted framed by Hockney.


Over the years, Andipa have had the pleasure to have dealt with many of the works from the series. On the works, Director Acoris Andipa says, “ Moving Focus is as much a tour de force of printmaking as it is the evolution of an artist. Taking inspiration from the seemingly ordinary, Hockney’s masterful and intelligent use of colour, perspective and subject matter are truly astounding. Any of the works should be must-haves for the Hockney collector of yesterday, today and tomorrow”,


Contact Andipa Editions via sales@andipa.com or call +44(0)207 589 for further information about our David Hockney original prints for sale and any of the artworks featured in this article.

About the author

Alex Yellop