Giclee print edition of 100 on archival Hahnemühle Photo Rag paper

30 x 40 cm

I have had a Muse for more than a decade. (I define 'Muse' as my favourite person to paint - one whose form, features and company is endlessly inspiring). My Muse is my best friend and was my date to Tate Britain one night, where there was a wonderful event held in the big 'Hockney: 60 Years of Work' exhibition back in 2017.

Actor Alan Cumming performed from 'Animals', the book of letters between writer Christopher Isherwood and artist Don Bachardy underneath Hockney's glorious double portrait of the pair. Afterwards, I had much fun having the muse stand against my favourite Hockneys in his Alexander McQueen peacock blue suit - the perfect pairings - especially pitting his lovely profile alongside a young Peter Schlesinger, Hockney’s love and muse for so much of his work from that era.

Joachim, my muse, is standing before Hockney’s Portrait of an Artist (Pool With Two Figures) which sees Peter portrayed peering into the water at the approaching swimmer. Painted in the wake of the collapse of Hockney and Schlesinger’s relationship over an intense two-week period of 18-hour days, it was sold a year after it was exhibited here at the Tate for over $90 million, at the time the highest ever paid for the work of a living artist. 

The little 'Pocket Hockneys' I produced for the One Hundred Pictures that year sold out in minutes, so this year I thought I'd produce limited editions of two of them and celebrate my favourite living artist.