UK

‘Bizarre’ new David Hockney artwork unveiled as part of £7m tourism campaign and the people have thoughts

David Hockney

The latest work from David Hockney has inspired mixed reactions, to put it lightly (Twitter/@MayorofLondon)

David Hockney has been roundly ridiculed for a new London art piece that’s been likened to “the work of a six-year-old”.

London mayor Sadiq Khan unveiled the newly-installed artwork at Piccadilly Circus station on Tuesday (11 May) as part of a £7million campaign to attract more visitors to the capital. The mayor’s office confirmed to PinkNews that Hockney contributed the artwork free of charge.

Hockney, 83, composed a re-drawing of the London Underground roundel in yellow and purple, with the “S” at the end pushed onto another line as if the artist ran out of room.

Khan declared it a “brilliant work” and promised more to come very soon, which didn’t exactly illicit the enthusiasm he’d hoped for.

The iconic gay designer is famed for his quirky aesthetic and unconventional style, but many pointed out his latest piece looked decidedly more Microsoft Paint than pop art.

“If you had said this was a children’s competition to redesign the logo and this was the winner I’d have equally believed it,” commented one critic online.

Others called Hockney’s work “bizarre”, “hideous”, “a joke” and a “spoof”, while Specsavers simply tweeted: “See me.”

Many questioned the decision to commission a wealthy and established figure with few connections to London, rather than an emerging local artist who would benefit from the exposure.

Meanwhile, others were hard at work creating their own Hockney masterpieces.

The mayor’s office confirmed that the drawing follows on from Hockney’s new exhibition at the RA which comprises 116 works drawn on an iPad around the themes of hope, spring and renewal.

 

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