“The world is very, very beautiful if you look at it, but most people don’t look very much. They scan the ground in front of them so they can walk, but they don’t really look at things incredibly well, with an intensity. I do.” —David Hockney, 2023
Boldly experimental in his work and unabashedly positive in his worldview,
David Hockney (1937–2026) was one of the world’s most influential artists, embracing multiple careers: painter, printmaker, photographer, filmmaker, and stage designer. Making its U.S. debut at the MFAH,
David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away) presents an immersive, gallery-size projection that allows you to see the world as if through Hockney’s eyes, offering a unique portrait of the artist that transcends the conventions of documentary filmmaking to bring a deeper understanding of his art.
Consistently fascinated with the possibilities of new media, Hockney embarked on a remarkable collaboration with the dynamic videographers at Lightroom, a London production house that produces artist-led digital environments. Together, they created David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away) as a dynamic, immersive 50-minute journey through 60 years of Hockney’s work.
Hockney narrates six themed chapters as hundreds of vibrant images unspool to reveal his process, trace the arc of his life, and track the many routes he has taken across his career. Through stop animation and live footage, Hockney is seen experimenting with perspective, using photography as a means of drawing with a camera, capturing time’s passage through Polaroid collages, embracing the intuitive freedom offered by the sketchbook apps in his iPad, and demonstrating why only paint can properly convey the vast scale of the Grand Canyon.
In a single thrilling sequence, Hockney takes you along as he roars up into California’s San Gabriel Mountains, accompanied by the music of Richard Wagner. Another sequence draws you into the world of theater through animated re-creations of his enchanting stage designs.
To complement the immersive installation, the exhibition highlights additional Hockney works, including
The Four Seasons, Woldgate Woods video cycle and a selection of works on paper.
Plan Your Visit
David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away) / March 7–September 6, 2027
