Hockney by Hockney: My Early Years

by STANGOS/GELDZAHLER

Soft cover, 280 pages, Hockney's early years with over 450 illustrations.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Biography

Paperback

Published August 22, 1988

Reviews

[daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know nothing about art, I just enjoy looking at particular paintings. I liked Hockney ever since I've read "Modernists and Mavericks" by Gayford. Having his early life recounted both in word and in art was a really enjoyable experience. I wanted to give it 4/5 at first, because as literature itself it has its shortcomings, but then, it's not about the literary style and also because quite a lot of the art is in black/white. I'm giving it a full 5 stars though, just because I think as an autobiography Hockney by Hockney is marvellous and also I love his art, I think he's really original both in the way he views the world and in style.

[AC · Rating 4 out of 5]

After having this book sit on my currently reading shelf for a long time, I've finally decided that I don't like the art (though the book itself is good) and that I agree with Bacon's estimation of Hockney.

Perhaps the problem is simply that Hockney is a good artist in a shallow time. But the problem, of course, is not that... but, fundamentally, that he ACCEPTS his times. In times where history is real, the great artist has both to reflect his times and transcend his times. But in times when history holds us all in the grip of an illusion or a neurosis, the artist (perhaps?) needs rather to REJECT his times, even as he transcends his times.

Perhaps this is wrong, and Hockney is simply 'kitsch'.... But that, then, simply begs the question of what is 'kitsch', and brings us back (perhaps?) to my previous comment.

[jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up some great book recommendations out of this piece. David Hockney is amazing as a painter in his way.