David Hockney, Tate Britain, Millbank, London SW1, until 29 May 2017

As I was unable to attend I asked John Kirkwood to go on my behalf – here are his thoughts:

Ossie Wearing a Fairisle Sweater
1970
Coloured pencil and crayon on paper
430 x 355 mm
Private collection, London
© David Hockney

This major retrospective of David Hockney to celebrate his eightieth birthday is a real trip through time as we go from his very earliest student drawings and sketches all the way through to his most recent work with iPads.

Garden
2015
Acrylic paint on canvas
1219 x 1828 mm
Collection of the artist
© David Hockney
Photo Credit: Richard Schmidt

Hockney’s innovative and immediately recognisable style stands out in every room.  There are what one might call ‘the old favourites’ like his portraits of Ossie Clark and Celia Birtwell with their cat Percy (1970-71 and Christopher Isherwood and Don Bachardy (1972) and of course A Bigger Splash (1967) which the curator amusingly described as ‘painting a splash by splashing paint’ but also photography and huge screens displaying The Wolds taking Hockney back to his home county.

Billy + Audrey Wilder Los Angeles April 1982
1982
Composite Polaroid
1117 x 1168 mm
David Hockney Inc. (Los Angeles, USA)
© David Hockney
Photo Credit: Richard Schmidt

There are even two new works  created specifically for the exhibition being unveiled of Hockney’s garden in Hollywood; Garden # 3 2016 and Two Pots on the Terrace 2016 which demonstrate that he has lost none of his magic and in so many ways has returned to his roots,

Domestic Scene, Los Angeles
1963
Oil paint on canvas
1530 x 1530 mm
Private collection
© David Hockney

9 Canvas Study of the Grand Canyon
1998
Oil paint on nine canvases
1003 x 1689 mm
Richard and Carolyn Dewey
© David Hockney
Photo Credit: Richard Schmidt

Going Up Garrowby Hill
2000
Oil paint on canvas
2133.6 x 1524 mm
Private collection, Topanga, California
© David Hockney

www.tate.org.uk/Hockney