Pool and Steps, 1971

David Hockney (b.1937) is a prolific British painter, printmaker and photographer. His achievements in these fields are recognised as some of the most important of the twentieth century. Like other Pop artists, his paintings are slick and boldly colourful. However, Hockney distinctively resists being associated with any one movement. The artist's dedication to rendering photo-like paintings, in particular his swimming pool works, inspired the later Photorealist movement. His dynamic, collaged landscapes are a reference to Cubism, pieced together from several perspectives or locations. His unique depictions of domestic settings are also historically poignant, offering a window into the artist's personal sphere.