Legendary artist David Hockney dies aged 88
The British artist David Hockney, who was known for his vivid use of colour in his paintings, has died at the age of 88
Renowned British artist David Hockney has passed away at the age of 88, according to his publicist.
Hockney is considered one of the most significant artists of the 20th and 21st centuries, having worked across a variety of mediums, yet was particularly celebrated for his striking use of colour in his paintings.
A statement confirming his passing, released on Friday (June 12), read: "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 further stated: "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."
Born in Bradford, West Yorkshire, on July 9, 1937, Hockney stands as one of Britain's most distinguished artists, having produced work across various materials for more than 60 years.
He was perhaps best recognised for his 1967 work, A Bigger Splash, depicting a bright California day alongside a Los Angeles swimming pool.
David relocated from the UK to Los Angeles in 1964, where he abandoned oil paints in favour of vivid acrylics, earning widespread acclaim through his iconic swimming pool series.
In 2018, his painting Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures) fetched 90 million dollars (£70 million) at auction in New York – obliterating the previous record for a work by a living artist.
When the Covid-19 pandemic arrived in 2020, he withdrew to a remote farmhouse in Normandy where he established a studio.
With characteristic audacity, he also seized the chance to champion the merits of his cherished smoking habit – proposing it might protect against the illness.
At the age of 87, the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris mounted the most extensive exhibition to date of his artwork, with over 450 pieces – the bulk from the previous 25 years – occupying the entire museum, much to his evident delight.
His health was, nevertheless, by this point in severe deterioration, and he needed continuous nursing supervision.