The acclaimed British artist David Hockney has died at the age of 88, his publicist has said.
Hockney, widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in modern British art, died peacefully at home, just weeks before his 89th birthday.
Over a career spanning more than seven decades, he became renowned for constantly reinventing his artistic practice, working across painting, printmaking, photography, stage design and, in later years, digital art.
Among his most celebrated works are A Bigger Splash (1967), the iconic swimming pool painting that came to define his California period, and My Parents (1977), one of his most acclaimed portraits.
A statement said: “The celebrated British artist David Hockney, one of the most important figures in contemporary art in both the 20th and 21st centuries, passed away peacefully at home on 11 June 2026, one month short of his 89th birthday.”
It added: “David Hockney’s enduring legacy reflects his underlying enthusiasm for life, his outstanding sense of humour, his immense generosity, and his investigative curiosity encapsulated by his signature phrase, Love Life.
“Details of memorials will follow in due course.”
He was also a committed life-long and defiant smoker and campaigned against anti-smoking laws. He smoked until the end of his life.
He is survived by his long-time partner and companion Jean-Pierre Goncalves de Lima; his great-nephew Richard, who acted as studio assistant in his last years; his brothers Philip and John, and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, Bolton said.
Leading tributes to the artist, King Charles said: “My wife and I were greatly saddened to learn of the death of David Hockney O.M., a giant of the world of art and painting, a Yorkshireman through and through, and a dear friend and inspiration to so many.
“David was one of life’s true originals; one who wore his genius as lightly as those beloved yellow Crocs of his that helped brighten Palace occasions.
“I trust they will see him tread safely into the hereafter as we mourn a man whose irrepressible charm, talent and constant innovation will be most sorely missed, but whose dazzling creativity lives on in galleries and museums around the world.”
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan wrote: “A true icon of British art, David Hockney inspired millions with his vivid paintings and unique vision. His work revealed the beauty and fragility of the natural world, leaving a legacy that will endure for generations.”
A No 10 spokeswoman said: “The Prime Minister is saddened to hear of the death of David Hockney, one of Britain’s most celebrated artists.
“His vivid, instantly recognisable work influenced generations of artists, and the Prime Minister’s thoughts are with his friends and family.”
Inventor James Dyson, a friend of Hockney and a fellow member of the Order of Merit, said the artist “inspired every one of us”.
He said: “David Hockney experimented and experimented. He was a creative genius.”
Tracy Brabin, the mayor of West Yorkshire, described Hockney as “quite simply one of Yorkshire’s finest”.
She added on X: “A Bradford boy who changed the art world forever.
A true icon of British art, David Hockney inspired millions with his vivid paintings and unique vision.
— Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) June 12, 2026
His work revealed the beauty and fragility of the natural world, leaving a legacy that will endure for generations.
https://t.co/JAq3cnniqC
“But words alone don’t do David justice. His work, those pioneering pieces that burst onto the scene with vivid colour, changed the trajectory of modern art, and will continue to inspire generations to come.
“My thoughts are with his family, friends, and loved ones.”
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy called Hockney “a true titan of British art”.
She added: “Born and educated in Bradford, his paintings have inspired people across the world ever since his first exhibition in 1963. His boundless creativity and restless spirit leave behind a powerful legacy.”
Hockney embraced printmaking, set design, and photography to evolving media including photocopier and fax machines, computer, iPhone and iPad drawing and stained glass.
He trained at the Bradford School of Art in the 1950s, followed by the Royal College of Art in London, where he graduated with Gold Medal distinction in 1962 and subsequently emerged as one of the seminal talents in the new generation of British artists.
Some of his most famous paintings came from his move to Los Angeles, when he began to document the Southern California lifestyle.
His return to Yorkshire in the early 2000s prompted a renewed engagement with the landscapes of his native country and produced some of his most ambitious oil paintings.
The iPhone and iPad, became central to Hockney’s practice from 2007 onward, resulting in the vast series The Arrival of Spring in Woldgate, East Yorkshire in 2011.
In 2017, he was invited by the Dean of Westminster Abbey to produce the stained-glass Queen’s Window in honour of Queen Elizabeth II, which was unveiled in October 2018.
He was appointed by Queen Elizabeth II to the Order of the Companions of Honour in 1997 and to the Order of Merit in 2012.
In 2026, Hockney became one of the few non-French citizens to be awarded the rank of Officer in France’s prestigious Legion d’Honneur.
Many of his most beloved works were shown at Tate Britain in 2017, which became the gallery’s most popular exhibition to date, pulling in almost half a million visitors.
It travelled to the Pompidou Centre in Paris and The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
