Thursday was a busy day. I had tickets for myself and a friend to see David Hockney’s exhibition at the Royal Academy in the afternoon. I’ve always been a fan of his, and the work for this exhibition was done during lockdown in France using an iPad. What would it be like? This isn’t the first iPad pictures of his I’ve seen. There were a few in the last exhibition, A Bigger Picture in 2009, but this was wholly using an iPad (an App especially adapted for him). The Arrival of Spring is a collection of 116 works include trees, flowers, the house and barn, the pond and the tree house, all within the boundaries of where Hockney was living during lockdown in Normandy. He worked outside (en plein air) as did the French Impressionists before him, and the works were executed between February and June 2020. He worked almost daily, and on occasions he would produce two works in one day.
So, what are the pictures like? Well, photography is not allowed inside the exhibition, though if you Google the name of the exhibition or visit the website of The Royal Academy, you can see some pictures. Here is video preview to whet your appetite.
I loved the fact that I could see how Hockney put the pictures together. Great swathes of colour and then dots or lines. I’d say they are very vibrant, lots of bright green. I wondered about the restrictions of using a iPad to paint. Was this why they were so bright green? Then again, Hockney does like vibrant! His A Bigger Picture had lots of bright colours on canvas. I realised that this is the way he paints. His style is unique and recognisable. Did we like the pictures? I feel guilty in saying that we we spend just thirty minutes at the exhibition (we spent the same time in Hatchards Bookshop!). However, we agreed that it was good to see them. A few (well, particularly one) were what I’d call naive art, almost a first attempt. It looked rushed and childlike. The ones we particularly liked were those of rain on the pond. The pictures are very bright, and perhaps best seen from a distance, but then again you miss the technique. I have never tried art on an iPad, and I am a dabbler in art, so what do I know? Big named artists draw big crowds whatever they do, and David Hockney always draws a big crowd. I had difficulty getting tickets for the exhibition in the first place. They were going like hot-cakes.
Certainly it was worth a viewing, and certainly it was different. David Hockney can do no wrong in my eyes! It was a challenge and he took. He has always done things differently to others, and seems to relish new technology. I also love his attitude to life! Like many artists he used the same subjects time and again, on different days and different times marking how spring arrived. Monet did the same thing with buildings. It also remind me of how I watched spring arrive last year. I used to jog around a local park. In my case, I took photos every time I was there. I’d photograph the trees sprouting leaves from bare branches, and the flower beds went from nothing to a riot of colour. I took photos. Hockney painted with an iPad. We will all remember that spring differently. It was unique and beautiful, despite what else was going on.
A Field Guide to Larking
In the evening I went on to Southwark Cathedral for a book launch of A Field Guide to Larking by Lara Maiklem. I already have her fascinating first book, and this one I ordered at the time, so I could pick it up on the night. I was in the queue early so I could get a good seat! I collected my book and then sat down. Of course I flipped through the book while I was waiting. In fact I began reading it! The resident cat, Hodge, was strolling around and one time went up the steps past Lara as she was speaking!
The talk was interesting and informative. Lara gave advice and recounted instances of finds or funny things, items she found she thought weren’t that important only to find they were, and vice versa. At the end there was time for questions and answers.
I was so chuffed to clutch my book. It is illustrated and has room to log your own finds. I can’t wait to read the whole book and get started. Just so you know, if you want to go mudlarking you do need a Licence!
Before and after the book launch, I took photos along the River Thames from London Bridge to Tower Bridge. I finally got to see the bridges with their illuminations. I had a nice stroll back to the station at Waterloo along the south bank after a very interesting arty day!
My London+ 