'A true icon': Tributes paid to 'revolutionary' British artist David Hockney, who died aged 88

LAST UPDATE | 13 mins ago

CELEBRATED BRITISH ARTIST David Hockney has died aged 88, his publicist has said.

The Englishman contributed to the pop art movement of the 1960s, and is considered one of the most influential artists of the 20th and 21st centuries.

He is best-known for vibrant, colourful pieces across mediums, including prints, paintings and photographs.

Hockney’s celebrated career spanned seven decades, and his most famous paintings included The Splash, A Bigger Splash, Portrait Of An Artist (Pool With Two Figures), My Parents and Mr And Mrs Clark And Percy.

In a statement, his publicist said: “The celebrated British artist David Hockney, one of the most important figures in contemporary art in both the 20th and 21st centuries, passed away peacefully at home on 11 June 2026, one month short of his 89th birthday.”

It added: “David Hockney’s enduring legacy reflects his underlying enthusiasm for life, his outstanding sense of humour, his immense generosity, and his investigative curiosity encapsulated by his signature phrase, Love Life.

“Details of memorials will follow in due course.”

Hockney studied at Bradford College of Art, in his home city, and later at the Royal College of Art in London.

He taught art at several colleges around the United States, where he found inspiration for some of his most iconic works.

Pools and California living were themes Hockney returned to throughout his prolific career. 

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Hockney’s painting on canvas The Splash (1966) sold for £23.1 million (€26.76 million) at auction in 2020. 

He was lauded for his use of different formats, embracing digital art and the use of iPads from the 2000s onwards as much as traditional painting.

‘A true icon’

Keir Starmer has described Hockney as “one of Britain’s most celebrated artists” and said he was saddened by the artist’s death.

A No 10 spokeswoman told the BBC: “His vivid, instantly recognisable work influenced generations of artists, and the Prime Minister’s thoughts are with his friends and family.”

Alex Farquharson, the director of the Tate Britain, where a number of Hockney’s pieces are on display, said the institution is working closely with his team “to realise the two projects he was preparing for next year”.

“David was an endlessly inventive artist, with a unique vision of the world,” Farquaharson said in a statement to the BBC.

“He was always completely and courageously himself, both in his work and in life.”

Meanwhile, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan described Hockney as a “true icon”, and a “revolutionary of British art who never stopped reinventing his work”.

In a post on X, Khan paid tribute to his “blockbuster London retrospectives”.

“I know his legacy will live on for centuries to come,” he said.

Hockney was also a committed life-long and defiant smoker and campaigned against anti-smoking laws. He smoked until the end of his life.

He is survived by his long-time partner and companion Jean-Pierre Goncalves de Lima; his great-nephew Richard, who acted as studio assistant in his last years; his brothers Philip and John, and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, Bolton said.

With reporting by the Press Association

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