The Irish Times
"...an excellent show, modest in scale but ambitious in scope."
Details
I draw, I do includes rarely seen, anatomical and observational drawings, early graphite portraits as well as significant later works including his iPad portraits which demonstrate Hockney’s continued interest in pushing the boundaries of his practice using new technologies.
This exhibition is ticketed, due to demand.
How do I get a ticket?
- When you arrive at the MAC, head to the information desk for tickets.
- Your ticket is valid for a full day, from 10am on the day of your visit.
To get the most from your visit, there are three ways to enjoy the exhibition:
- With our illustrated gallery guide at £3.
- Take our audio tour, led by our Curator, that you can download directly to your phone for £3. Remember to bring your own headphones.
- Take a self-led visit with a suggested donation
Hockney Shop and Merchandise
We have several Hockney merchandise items that are all displayed at our Hockney shop in the building and available to purchase from our box office. Items include:
- A Limited Edition Silk Screen print £45
- Tote Bag £4.99
- Magnets £1.99
- Quartet Pencil £1.49
- Pencil £0.99
- Postcards £0.99
David Hockney (b. 1937) is an English painter, draughtsman, printmaker, stage designer and photographer. An important contributor to the Pop Art movement of the 1960s, he is considered one of the most influential British artists of the 20th century. I draw, I do is the first significant presentation of Hockney’s work in Ireland. The exhibition focuses on the artist’s formative years at Bradford Regional College of Art in the 1950s and how the training and experimentation pursued there stayed with him and was further drawn on throughout his career.
Works on display include rarely seen anatomical and observational drawings, early graphite portraits as well as the print series Rakes Progress (1961-63): a semi-autobiographical story about Hockney, the ‘rake’, and the down and outs he met in New York in the early 1960s. The format, story and numbering system in this series is based on William Hogarth’s 1735 suite of prints of the same title. In addition to these early pieces, also on display are significant later works which demonstrate Hockney’s continued interest in pushing the boundaries of drawing practice using new technologies.
The title of the exhibition is taken from an interview with the artists and designer Paul Smith. Smith asked, “Do you still draw in the more traditional way; in the way you first did when you left the Royal College?” And Hockney replied:
“Yeah, I draw, I do.... From the age of 16 to the age of 20, all I did was really draw, because I was at the art school in Bradford and in Bradford you could be in the school from nine in the morning to nine at night, because as a full-time student, you could go in the evenings and you’d have a life class then. So I drew for four years.
I don’t know what art schools are like now, but I’m told they don’t do drawing. That seems a bit mad to me that.
Drawing is going to be needed in the future.”
Curated in partnership with Jill Iredale, Curator of Fine Art at Bradford Museums and Galleries.
About the Artist
About the Artist
David Hockney
Hockney is a painter, printmaker, photographer and designer. The MAC presents this Hockney exhibition in advance of the many celebrations that will happen next year to mark the artist's 80th birthday. At the core of all of Hockney’s work is a commitment to the critical importance of the act of drawing. David Hockney felt a compulsion to draw and paint the world around him from an early age. He became a familiar sight in the streets where he lived pushing a pram of art materials to enable him to work outside.
Reviews
Reviews
The Thin Air
"Hockney’s is a career that sees no hint of slowing down, and this show begs the question ‘why would it?’"
