Source : PERTHNOW NEWS
Artist David Hockney has been laid to rest at a funeral with just two people in attendance.
The British legend, who passed away at his home on Thursday (11.06.29), just weeks before his 89th birthday on July 9, left wishes for an intimate funeral with just his partner JP and great nephew Richard there.
In a statement, David’s publicist Erica Bolton said: “As we have already received so many inquiries about David Hockney’s funeral arrangements and memorials, we would like to clarify that it was David’s clear wish that his funeral should be attended only by his partner, JP, and his great nephew Richard; and that their privacy would be respected.
“The funeral has already taken place.”
Erica added that several memorial services “to celebrate David’s life and work” will be held next year – with one in London in spring 2027, followed by other services in Yorkshire, where David was from, Paris and Los Angeles.
She concluded the statement by saying: “We have been overwhelmed by your tributes which have meant so much to us and we wanted to thank you.”
Revolutionary artist David worked in mediums including paint, photography and even iPads and turned his talents to etchings, lithographs and stained glass windows through his lengthy career.
He was born in 1937 and single-mindedly devoted to his art from a young age eventually winning a place at the Royal College of Art in London.
However, despite being the establishment’s star student, he refused to write the one essay he needed to in order to graduate and so failed his finals, but a backlash forced the college to back down and he was given both his degree and its prestigious Gold Medal.
He left the UK for Los Angeles in 1964, where he swapped his oil paints in favour of bright acrylics, and made a name for himself with his swimming pool paintings, using his art to express his homosexuality, which was still illegal at the time.
The outspoken painter is believed to have rejected a knighthood on multiple occasions and declined an invitation to paint the late Queen Elizabeth’s portrait.
However, he did accept the Order of Merit, the most prestigious award for high achievement, because he felt it ungrateful to decline what he thought was a personal gift from Queen Elizabeth II.
