David Hockney, who has died at the age of 88, was one of Britain’s most iconic 20th-century artists – a revolutionary with a paint brush whose bright, accessible style set the tone for the Swinging London of the 1960s. As befits a contemporary of the Rolling Stones and The Beatles, he was a bit of a rock star: an avant-garde figure beloved by the public, a hobnobber with royalty who never forgot his Yorkshire roots.
An artist for all seasons, he also dabbled in interior and set design, which is how he ended up at the Glyndebourne Festival Opera in 1975, where he was commissioned to create the set for a new production of Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress. He had been hired by Glyndebourne’s director George Christie, who welcomed Hockney into the family home. Here, George’s son Gus talks about his early memories of Hockney and the artist’s long-standing relationship with Glyndebourne.
David Hockney was great fun. He was always his wry, Yorkshire, amusing, mischievous, naughty self. He dressed impeccably. He had the most wonderful suits that he always wore. He got depressed when he saw others around him not making an effort.
Hockney (right) with Gus Christie (centre) and Dame Joanna Lumley at Glyndebourne in 2023 for a performance of ‘The Rake’s Progress’ (Photo: Graham Carlow/ Glyndebourne Productions Ltd)
