David Hockney is great again at Lelong & Co.

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20 March, 2021, Flowers, Glass Vase on a Table, iPad painting printed on paper, Edition of 50, © David Hockney / Courtesy Galerie Lelong & Co.

Last Thursday was he first rainy and cold day of the autumn and visiting the new exhibition of flowers and landscapes by David Hockney, at the two Lelong & Co. galleries in the 8 th, was a very welcome happy and sunny moment. The British artist, who still lives secluded in Normandy, away from the big cities where collectors and gallerists disturb him too much,  is now 85 and still super active. His French merchant, Jean Frémon, who is also a neighbor, was telling how the idea for the show came up. In February 2021, Hockney caught site of some flowers in a vase and noticed a deep shadow on the table from the low winter sun. He decided to draw it and print it. He liked what he saw when he hung it on the wall of his studio and showed him a few. Now he has completed twenty which are printed in an edition of 50. They sell in London, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York on top of Paris, for 55 000€ and are all sold out.  But, don’t be too sad, you can still buy the catalog for 30€ and it is wonderful…

This large scale photographic drawing , 25 th June, Looking at the Flowers (Framed), 300 000€, © David Hockney/Courtesy Galerie Lelong & Co.

At the bottom of the large gallery of rue de Téhéran, you are greeted by the 3 m by 5,18 m photographic drawing, where the artist sits in two different chairs and contemplates a wall of flowers in a vase. The pictures are framed in classical gilt frames. It is as entertaining and happy as his “Bigger Splash” series of earlier years. He has managed, during lockdown, to keep working actively around his house and garden and amazes us with his inventiveness and talent. Special iPad programs were developed especially for him so that he can draw the nuances of the Norman skies and reflections in the glass vases. He has become extraordinarily agile with this electronic device but also keeps painting large portraits in the studio. Frémon mentioned that there are thirty canvases lying around at the moment…

27 th February 2021, Tall Flowers in a Tall Vase, detail, © David Hockney / Courtesy Galerie Lelong & Co.

Three large landscapes made of 8 iPad paintings mounted on Dibond were already exhibited at the exhibition at l’Orangerie, in 2021. They are shown avenue Matignon. “Rain on the Pond” is particularly successful and the artist used all his skills to draw the drops of water in the sky and in the pond… When you know that he did it in August! It tells a lot about the weather in Normandy. And it’s really fun.

25th July-7 th August 2021, Rain on the Pond, detail, © David Hockney / Courtesy Galerie Lelong & Co.

So do not miss these two shows which are so uplifting! Annely Juda Fine Art shows him in London, Richard Gray in Chicago, L.A. Louver in L.A. and Pace in New York. The catalog sells for 30€.

Galerie Lelong & Co.until December 22

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