Celebrated British artist David Hockney has died aged 88, his publicist has confirmed.
A statement said: “The celebrated British artist David Hockney, one of the most important figures in contemporary art in both the 20th and 21st centuries, passed away peacefully at home on 11 June 2026, one month short of his 89th birthday.”
Tributes for the artist have poured in, with many being shocked at the news of his death.
Fans of the artists took to their social media to express their sadness over the news, with one noting on X: "Sad news. David Hockney has died."
Fans of the artist have been left devastated
|GETTY
"RIP David Hockney," another added before a third similarly penned: "RIP David Hockney. You were one of a kind. Your originality will live on long after we are departed."
A fourth added: "What a tragedy! And what an artist!!! RIP David Hockney, the painter who brought colour to contemporary art, has died."
"RIP David Hockney #art," someone else simply stated as another expressed: "A giant of British art and culture RIP and thank you." (sic)
Mr Hockney was painted as Britain's most influential artist
|GETTY
Mr Hockney was renowned for his striking use of colour and iconic depictions of California swimming pools.
Rising to prominence during the 1960s as part of the pop art movement, Mr Hockney became the foremost chronicler of Los Angeles's sun-drenched landscapes and azure pools.
His 1967 work A Bigger Splash remains one of his most celebrated pieces, while Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures) fetched $90.3m at auction in 2018, making it one of the most expensive works by a living artist ever sold.
Throughout his career, he embraced an extraordinary range of mediums, from painting and printmaking to photography and stage design.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
In later years, he pioneered the use of technology in art, creating groundbreaking iPad drawings that demonstrated his enduring relevance.
Mr Hockney publicly acknowledged his homosexuality at the age of 23, seven years before Britain decriminalised homosexual acts, and his early paintings explored themes of gay love and desire.
"He took up gay subject matter before anyone else," novelist Edmund White once remarked, "and the amazing thing is that he got away with it.
"The artist was appointed to the Order of Merit in 2012, though he had previously declined a knighthood in 1990 and once turned down a request to paint the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Mr Hockney's death comes one month before his 89th birthday
|GETTY
He is survived by his long-term partner Jean-Pierre Gonçalves de Lima, his brothers Philip and John, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter