Is there a Vincent in David?

David Hockney is perhaps the most visible face of contemporary art; one of the greatest apostles of 20th century figurative art, along with Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud, R B Kitaj et al. A unique style of figurative and narrative rendering that is direct and forthright but evocative and inspiring is the hallmark of his works, which have spurred the imagination of thousands of artists across the world.

I was initiated to Hockney’s works through reproductions as an art student in the 70s. One of the paintings that fascinated me was a 1955 portrait of Hockney’s father. Done almost in an academic style that borders on impressionism, this early work of the master was a pointer to greater things that would come.

Another work, a 1961 canvas called We Two Boys Together Clinging is a study in contrast to his father’s portrait. It is indicative of his development and social responsive attitude. Very sketchy, a block-like upper torso, wiry legs and crudely drawn entwined arms, and the graffiti around the body and background point to a mixed influence. More importantly, the painting points at Hockney’s proclaimed sexual preferences.

The early 80s saw an exhibition of British figurative art titled The Proper Study coming to India. The main show was staged at the National Academy, New Delhi, and Jehangir Nicholson Museum of Modern Art, Mumbai. Major figurative painters such as Craigie Aitchison, Michael Andrews, Jeffery Camp, Howard Hodgkin, Euan Uglow, including Hockney were featured here.

As an offshoot of this great show a suite of Hockney’s graphics called A Rake’s Progress was brought to Bengaluru by the British Council. I was involved in the hanging and display of the show at the Karnataka Chitrakala Prishath art complex. British Council’s Grace and Krishnaswamy were there along with one of the British painters, Euan Uglow. Euan was to be my life-long friend till his death a few years ago.

Hockney’s A Rake’s Progress is loosely based on his travels in America, but it originated from his set design for Igor Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress, directed by John Cox. Done in a series of etchings and aquatint, what amazes one about this work is the power of the drawing and the distribution of elements in a meticulous way; this, apart from the narrative fluency.

Later during my travels I became more familiar with his original works. His approach to art has been inspirational to countless artists across the world; I am no exception. It is not often discussed in Indian art circles that the present Indian figurative painting owes a lot to the Proper Study show. It’s strange even art historians keep mum about it.

After a restful and creative week with some of my artist friends at Down Hall, a lovely resort in the Hertfordshire countryside, I returned to London in time for Hockney’s show at Annely Juda Fine Art, Dering Street. David Hockney, A Year In Yorkshire — this show of magnificent Yorkshire landscapes said a different story about one of the most celebrated painters. Though my knowledge about Yorkshire is confined to the famous pudding and kidney pie, I am aware of its breathtaking countryside landscapes. But what I saw in these mesmerising canvases was a reincarnation of Vincent van Gogh. I know it’s  not a good idea to compare two great artists who lived in two different worlds. But I could not help feeling the striking empathy between these two.

I recall a 1980 painting that could be connected to this series — Mulholland Drive: The Road To The Studio. It was painted at Hollywood Hills, a drive down to the studio. It is a rolling landscape that is constructed more as a composition than as a straight-forward scenic depiction. But here, in these Yorkshire pictures, Hockney is at his honest best and talking a language that is frank and truthful. That is where the comparison between Vincent and David crops up.

Here is an artist in the mechanical and makeshift world of 20th century who is at his zenith of fame and wants to talk a language he is more conversant with, but perhaps the world today does not want to hear it. There was the impoverished artist who had never seen any kind of success. He was pouring out his soul into his work that nobody at that point was keen to listen, which drove him to suicide. Do the masters think alike? Looking at their works, one is compelled to agree.

Apart from a number of moderate-size canvases, there are two strikingly rich ones, each in six parts: A Closer Winter Tunnel and Road to Thwing. They are as striking as any van Gogh wheat fields, apart from their overwhelming size. The perspective of the rolling landscape is very academic in approach and the treatment is straightforward yet poetic, and imbibed with an amazing strength. The painter has solved the problem of painting large-scale pictures outdoor by dividing them into segments.

He seems to be thrilled by the achievement. “Later, on seeing the (John) Constable exhibition at the Tate, I realised he would have been thrilled to work on this scale,” said Hockney, adding, “but his problem was that he did not have tubes of paint.” Hockney has enough tubes of paint, and he has used them well.