DAVID HOCKNEY – TATE BRITAIN
Ever Wondered Why Pencils ( and the Datebook ) are Always Yellow ?
DAVID HOCKNEY – TATE BRITAIN
After the death of Lucian Freud , David Hockney is probably the most significant living British painter . This exhibition illustrates the way he has produced work in all mediums though it also highlights the varying merit of some of it . It will undoubtedly be a crowd-pleaser due to the strength of his reputation and the inclusion of many of his best known paintings .
His large canvasses , set in California in the 1960 ’ s , are stylish and sybaritic . Its gloriously sun-drenched swimming pools are captured in breathtaking colours . A Bigger Splash , Sunbather and Peter Getting Out of Nick ’ s Pool are among his finest and bestknown creations .
His double portraits are fascinating character studies where the relationship between the sitters is often intriguing . Amongst his
Christopher Isherwood and Don Bachardy , 1968 , Acrylic paint on canvas , 2120 x 3035 mm , Private collection , © David Hockney .
most famous paintings are My Parents and Mr and Mrs Clark and Percy and these are complemented by works such as Christopher Isherwood and Don Bachardy , Henry Geldzahler and Christopher Scott , and others which give fascinating insights into their relationships .
Much of this exhibition is devoted to his landscapes though the quality of these varies . I much admired some stunning views of the Grand Canyon and a set of evocative drawings which depict the arrival of spring in his native Yorkshire . Recent works showing his garden in Hollywood are less well executed . This is an extroadinary mix which is characterised by his love of the brightest of colours .
Portrait of an Artist ( Pool with Two Figures ), 1972 , Acrylic paint on canvas 2140 x 3048 mm , Lewis Collection , © David Hockney Photo Credit : Art Gallery of New South Wales / Jenni Carter .
His abstract works in oils from the early 1960 ’ s including his “ love paintings ” are early autobiographical works with an overtly gay theme though homosexuality was then illegal . He then turned to figurative work but was forever experimenting as we see with his photographic collages and the works where he uses his ipad . Some of the latter are extremely poor and make an unsatisfactory conclusion to the exhibition . However I much admired his digital videos entitled The Four Seasons , which uses multiple screens to draw us into its alluring settings . It is remarkable that Hockney is still so versatile and this show is an impressive tribute to a unique artist .
Ever Wondered Why Pencils ( and the Datebook ) are Always Yellow ?
Pencils have been painted yellow ever since the late 19th Century , with good reason ! During this era , the best graphite in the world came from China . American pencil makers wanted their customers to know that their pencils contained Chinese graphite , so they painted them yellow .
Chinese culture associated the colour yellow with royalty and respect . Thus American manufacturers chose the bright yellow to communicate this “ regal ” feeling and link with China . The rest , as they say , is history .
The legend of the yellow pencil inspired much more than just the pencils , however . It ’ s also the origin of the
Datebook yellow . The Datebook began as a reference for charities to check which dates were free from fundraising events .
We chose an eye-catching , bright colour to freshen up the publication – and because we were a ‘ calendar of events ’ bright yellow was the natural choice . The hue was inspired by the bright yellow pencils people historically would have used to write appointments in their datebooks . In those days there were no iPads , laptops or mobile phones with diaries – everyone had a datebook , and everyone had a yellow pencil .
THE LONDON & UK DATEBOOK 29