David Hockney Returns to Form and LACMA with “Two Portraits”

David Hockney: 2 Portraits and 1 Still-life first opened at London’s Royal Academy in 2017 and has since traveled to Venice and Bilbao, but LACMA will be its only U.S. showing. “This exhibition marks the return of David’s work with painting on canvas and portraiture — long an important facet of his celebrated career,” says LACMA’s Michael Govan. “In 1988 LACMA initiated Hockney’s first large retrospective and now 30 years later, it is so meaningful to present a new body of work featuring David’s personal circle.” Each portrait was painted between 2013-2016 at Hockney’s Hollywood Hills studio. Hockney asked each subject for a three-day commitment, described by the artist as a “20-hour exposure.”

“As one of the sitters whose portrait is included in the exhibition, I had the chance to witness Hockney’s painting process very closely over the course of three days,” says Stephanie Barron. “Looking at them together, we see how marvelously Hockney has captured the individual personalities of his varied subjects.” Visit them now through July 29. lacma.org