This spring, renowned artist David Hockney will debut a significant new installation at Turner Contemporary in Margate, UK, as part of the gallery's 15th-anniversary festivities. This impressive piece, measuring 22 by 32 feet, will transform the gallery's expansive window in the Sunley Gallery, providing a stunning view of Margate's beaches and the North Sea.
Scheduled to run from April 1 to November 1, the installation captures a sunrise in Normandy, inspired by an iPad painting Hockney created in 2020. Clarrie Wallis, the director of Turner Contemporary, noted that "illuminated at night, the work becomes a point of light on the seafront."
Since its opening in 2011, Turner Contemporary has attracted over 322,000 visitors in the past year, drawing inspiration from the life and works of JMW Turner. Hockney has often expressed admiration for the iconic landscape painter, having co-curated an exhibition of Turner's watercolors at Tate Britain in 2007.
The excitement surrounding Hockney's work continues to thrive in the UK. Next month, London's Serpentine Galleries will host its first exhibition featuring the octogenarian artist from March 12 to August 23. This exhibition will showcase a new collection, including five still lifes and five portraits of individuals close to Hockney, such as family and caregivers.
Visitors can also expect to see A Year in Normandy (2020-21), a remarkable 90-meter-long frieze inspired by the Bayeux Tapestry, illustrating the seasonal transformations at Hockney's former studio in Normandy. The Bayeux Tapestry itself is set to be exhibited at the British Museum later this year. Earlier this year, Hockney expressed concerns about moving the tapestry to London, labeling it as "madness" due to its historical significance and potential for damage. However, British Museum director Nicholas Cullinan has refuted these claims.
Hockney's popularity continues to soar; his 2017 retrospective at Tate Britain welcomed over 478,000 visitors, while last year's largest exhibition of his work at Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris was similarly successful.
