âHe outlived four of his doctorsâ: David Hockney loved smoking, he really really loved smoking
His passion got him into scraps with the Paris Metro and numerous other bodies. Was it a social crutch? A Freudian response to his father?
His passion got him into scraps with the Paris Metro and numerous other bodies. Was it a social crutch? A Freudian response to his father? And why did he take such delight in writing to the Guardian about it all? ⢠David Hockney â a life in pictures ⢠David Hockneyâs genius for fashion David Hockneyâs last self-portrait that went on show while he lived, in 2025âs Paris retrospective, has a Droste effect: the figure holds a picture in which the figure holds a picture.
Between the fingers of one hand, a paintbrush; of the other, a cigarette. He could have been smoking and smoking and smoking into infinity. Thatâs the elemental truth of the work, and even while that turned out not to be literally true â he died this week, aged 88 â he gave it his best shot. The painting is titled Play within a Play within a Play and Me with a Cigarette, and it got him into a scrap with the authorities of the Paris Metro, who said a photo of it couldnât be used to the show, since it contravened regulations â it is a pretty common rule that youâre not allowed to glamorise smoking lest you influence the young.
âThe bossiness of those in charge of our lives knows no limits,â he said at the time. âArt has always been a path to free
expression and this is a dismal [decision].â Continue reading...
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