THE CARTWRIGHT HALL Art Gallery in Bradford has a collection of paintings by David Hockney (born 1937), some of which he did when he was as young as 16. These early paintings, though not as adventurous as his later work, show that even as a teenager, he was a skilled artist. He studied art at Bradford College of Art. Then, between 1959 and 1962, he continued his studies at London’s Royal College of Art (‘RCA’). It was after his arrival in London that Hockney began experimenting with new ways of expression in painting. Apparently, he was not an ideal student in the eyes of the RCA. For example, he did not attend lectures and did not do the prescribed coursework. Yet, he created numerous paintings that are evidence of his skilful breaking away from conventional painting. Today, we caught the last day of an exhibition of the paintings he did between 1959 and 1963. It was held at Hazlitt Holland-Hibbert Gallery in Mayfair’s Bury Street.

The gallery’s website explained:

“Exhibited together for the first time, these early paintings embellished with love hearts, graphic text, suggestive shapes and depictions of friends and lovers reveal David Hockney’s precocious talent during the most formative chapter of his career.

In 1959, Hockney moved from Bradford to begin his studies at the Royal College of Art, London, where he was determined to experience the capital’s postwar bohemian culture as well as absorb the modern and contemporary art in its museums and galleries. The exhibition focuses on this period before Hockney relocated to the United States at the end of 1963 and reveals his discovery of an unmistakably personal style of painting that would establish him as the most important artist of his generation.”

It was exciting to view the images he created during this important period of his artistic development. However, for a while the RCA failed to appreciate him, and for a while threatened not to award him his degree. An article in Wikipedia revealed:

“When the RCA said it would not let him graduate if he did not complete an assignment of a life drawing of a live model in 1962, Hockney painted ‘Life Painting for a Diploma’ in protest. He had refused to write an essay required for the final examination and said that he should be assessed solely on his artworks. Recognising his talent and growing reputation, the RCA changed its regulations and awarded him a diploma.”

An etching in the exhibition, “The Diploma”, created in 1962, reflects Hockney’s protestation. Since graduating from the RCA, Hockney has been given awards by many prestigious institutions, and was made a Royal Academician.

Having seen his earliest known works in Bradford, the works done while at the RCA, and later creations, it is easy to understand why Hockney is now regarded as an artist of the highest calibre.