It was with great sadness that I read of David Hockney’s passing at the weekend. Hockney was a giant of the contemporary art scene, contributing to that great British idea, Pop Art and living through an age of unprecedented change in the technique of painting. 

A Bigger Splash is the painting which I have chosen to commemorate his life. Born in England at a time when homosexuality was a criminal act, Hockney left his homeland to carve out his creative career in Los Angeles. This painting fully represents the young Hockney’s love of light and life in acrylic paint. 

Hockney’s oeuvre of work is immense and I cannot do it justice here but would highlight his embracing of new technology. Many of his later works represented earlier themes of portraits, double portraits, often of the famous, and a return to the Yorkshire landscapes both in paint and on iPad. His innovative approach to art will be sadly missed.