Dive into the vibrant, oscillating world of David Hockney as Factory International hosts Bigger and Closer (Not Further and Smaller Away), an immersive art experience which tracks the artist’s evolution and his sumptuous view of life.
From the folklore-soaked tradition of the Yorkshire Moors to the pristine glisten of the Hollywood Hills, Hockney has been seeking treasure in the every day for as long as he can remember.
And somehow, he always finds it.
In this spellbinding 50-minute production, we are invited to observe the intricate unravelling of the artist’s mind.
Utilising four walls, the ceiling and the floor, The Lightroom has crafted an all-new realm in the time-space continuum where we don’t just live in a world alongside Hockney’s art, we exist within it.
Through light projections, moving images and narration, iconic Hockney pieces are animated around the auditorium and across the faces of awestruck onlookers while the artist reveals his process against a cinematic score.
The enigmatic artist has had a career spanning more than six decades and has produced celebrated work including The Splash, The Arrival of Spring and The Queen’s Window.
Bigger and Closer (Not Further and Smaller Away) focuses on movement and reflection in Hockney’s landscapes, and the power of colour and composition in his fantastical pieces, and his theatre works.
The exhibition demonstrates Hockney’s experimentations with material and mediums, always proving his innate commitment to keeping sight of the glint in the distance that symbolises hope.
With his soft, warm, melodic tones, Hockney guides us through the value of perspective. He presents his explorations into photography and muses over the many lenses we can see the world through.
To Hockney, the world is a playground in which we must indulge or risk losing the true spirit of existence.
And what is that spirit which has motivated Hockney’s study and inspired global art movements?
It’s a desire to preserve the beauty in the ordinary.
Main image credit: Justin Sutcliffe
