黑料不打烊

Pace Prints presents David Hockney: Drawing in a Printing Machine, the first U.S. exhibition of the artist鈥檚 newest portraits. The eighteen large-scale limited edition prints depicting his friends, family and colleagues will be on view from October 23 鈥� November 28, 2009 at Pace Prints located at 32 East 57th Street, 3rd floor. The prints will be shown concurrently with two PaceWildenstein exhibitions of Hockney鈥檚 recent paintings at 32 East 57th Street and 534 West 25th Street. 

Previously Hockney has worked in traditional print mediums such as etching and lithography. He has also experimented with newer mediums such as Xerox printing and photomechanical reproduction. In this particular body of work Hockney enters the world of digital printmaking. With this new technique of 鈥渄rawing in a printing machine鈥� the artist expands on traditional drawing by utilizing Photoshop, which allows speed and precision. Hockney works from life, drawing live models on a tablet connected to a computer monitor. While the technique offers him the opportunity to experiment, these prints do not lack his signature draftsmanship. 

In this group of prints Hockney illustrates several models seated directly in front of him. The prints are large, nearly life-size, approximately 49 x 33 陆 inches. The scale of the images in combination with the proximity of each sitter to the foreground of the picture plane evokes an intimate conversation between subject and viewer. Image 1 (above, left) portrays Caravaggio scholar John Spike and his wife Michele. Hockney notes that the Spikes posed for eight hours while he drew them. Nonetheless, their eyes settle on the viewer. This lifelike quality brings them into our realm. In the portrait of Matelot Kevin Druez 1(image 2, above, right), the subject seems to be in conversation with us, the viewer, just as he may have been in conversation with the artist during the execution of this work. The model sits in a relaxed pose but is actively engaged. 

While taking into consideration Hockney鈥檚 oeuvre, digital printmaking is a medium that reveals his strengths. The dynamic nature of these prints is due to the presence of bold colors and swift application of lines. The computer technology allows Hockney to work with a wide range of immediately accessible colors. It also permits him to translate his thoughts quickly into images.