David Hockney - American Collectors

1968
Los Angeles

Acrylic on canvas
213.4 x 304.8 cm (83 7/8 x 120 in.)

(click to enlarge)

A great portrait by the frail, yet striking style of David Hockney, an important contributor to the British Pop art movement of the 1960s, also famous for his photographic collages and watercolour portraits.

Two members of the wealthy ruling class of Los Angeles are personified by 20th century manneristic figures typifying american affluent art collectors.

Pushing the borders of caricature, their unbalanced faces have traces of lunacy, detachment and wickedness, their bodies match exactly the sculptures placed in their fancy garden: Fred Weisman stands rigid just as the stony William Turnbull sculpture in front of him, Marcia Weisman however seems to weave her arms into the pink vintage gown, an echo of the Henry Moore sculpture in the background.

The transposing of physical form from art to collector and their weird expressions bring a delicate topic to the surface, the connection between power and tedium. In a material plan they are similar to their purchase, but the indifference in the face of both nobles takes them miles (or millions) away from the costly fine art.