David Hockney’s long-hidden paintings, described as a ‘gay paradise’, have finally been revealed as the nation pays tribute to the artist’s role in advancing LGBTQ+ rights. The works, created in the 1960s and 1970s, depict intimate scenes of male lovers in sun-drenched California, a bold statement at a time when homosexual acts were still criminalised in much of the Western world. The paintings, which Hockney kept private for decades, were unveiled yesterday as part of a new exhibition celebrating the artist’s 80th birthday.
Speaking from his home in Normandy, Hockney said the pieces were a personal record of his own liberation. “I painted these as a way of saying: we exist, we love, and we deserve a place in the sun,” he told the BBC. The revelation comes as the UK government uses the occasion to honour Hockney with a special award for his contributions to LGBTQ+ rights.
Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer described the artist as “a global icon who has used his immense talent to fight for equality”. But campaigners question whether the honour is a token gesture while Section 28-style bans on discussing sexuality in schools remain a live issue. The exhibition, titled “A Bigger Picture: Hockney’s Queer Journey”, opens today at the Tate Modern.
Entrance is free for under-25s, a nod to the artist’s wish to reach a younger generation.
