DAVID HOCKNEY AT THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF ARTS

A Bigger Picture (2012)

Directed by Phil Grabsky
Presented by Tim Marlow

David Hockney, who passed away on 11 June this year at the age of 88, is widely regarded as Britain's most celebrated contemporary artist. A global cultural phenomenon, his exhibitions in London, New York, Paris and beyond have attracted millions of visitors worldwide.

To commemorate his life and extraordinary artistic legacy, we are rescreening this acclaimed documentary, first released in 2017.

Featuring intimate and in-depth interviews with Hockney, the film offers rare insights into the artist behind iconic works such as A Bigger Splash and A Closer Grand Canyon. In conversation with Tim Marlow, Artistic Director of the Royal Academy of Arts, Hockney reflects on key moments from both his artistic and personal life — from his first trip abroad to Egypt in 1963, to the loss of his close friend Jonathan Silver in 1997, and the experiences that continued to shape his work in later years.

The documentary focuses on two landmark exhibitions held at the Royal Academy of Arts in London: A Bigger Picture (2012) and 82 Portraits and One Still Life (2016).

For A Bigger Picture, Hockney returned to his native Yorkshire, where he captured the changing landscape through the seasons. This return home proved both inspiring and transformative, leading him to experiment with new techniques and technologies, including iPad drawings and multi-screen video installations.

Four years later, for 82 Portraits and One Still Life, Hockney adopted a disciplined new approach, inviting each sitter to his studio with a strict three-day deadline for every portrait. Together, the resulting 82 paintings form a remarkable single body of work.

The film also features expert commentary from art critics Martin Gayford and Jonathan Jones, alongside Edith Devaney, Senior Contemporary Curator at the Royal Academy of Arts, who sat for Hockney on two occasions.

A Royal Academician since 1991, Hockney enjoyed a longstanding relationship with the institution. The documentary provides a rare opportunity to explore two of his most significant late-career exhibitions, guided by the curatorial team and the artist himself. Created specifically for the Royal Academy's galleries, these exhibitions were uniquely conceived for the spaces in which they were displayed.

With privileged access granted by Hockney and the Royal Academy, director Phil Grabsky has crafted a revealing and celebratory portrait of one of the most innovative and influential artists of the 21st century.