Above: David Hockney’s The Arrival of Spring in Woldgate, East Yorkshire in 2011 (twenty eleven), 2 January 2011 | Estimate: £80,000 – 120,000 (Credit: Phillips)
Esteemed London auction house Phillips is launching an annual event dedicated to the legendary artist David Hockney. This year’s Hockney auction will commence on September 20, following a public exhibition at Phillips’s Berkeley Square headquarters from September 14th to 20th.
In a statement, Phillips expressed their intention for this standalone Hockney auction to become a recurring fixture in their London sale calendar. The auction will showcase rare artworks in various mediums, catering to different price points.
Notable items for this autumn include two of Hockney’s earliest lithographs from 1954: Fish and Chip Shop (estimated £15,000-£20,000) and Woman With A Sewing Machine (estimated £10,000-£15,000).
David Hockney’s The Arrival of Spring in Woldgate, East Yorkshire in 2011 (twenty eleven), 2 January, 2011 | Estimate: £80,000 – 120,000 (Credit: Phillips)
Phillips aspires to replicate the success of last year’s extraordinary auction, where all 78 lots of Hockney’s works were sold, achieving a remarkable total of £3.3 million. The highlight of the sale was The Arrival of Spring in Woldgate, East Yorkshire in 2011 (twenty eleven) 30 May, 2011, which sold for £340,200 (including fees), surpassing its estimated value of £120,000 to £180,000.
Another piece from the same series, confusingly titled The Arrival of Spring in Woldgate, East Yorkshire in 2011 (twenty eleven), 2 January, 2011, will also grace this year’s auction with an estimated value of £80,000-£120,000.
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This initiative follows Hockney’s recent involvement in several high-profile projects, such as his immersive art show titled Bigger & Closer, not smaller & further away at London’s new Lightroom space, which has been extended until December 3.
The exhibition David Hockney: Drawing from Life will also launch at the National Portrait Gallery in London from November 2 to January 21, 2024. This showcase focuses on five sitters, including the esteemed textile designer Celia Birtwell. The NPG exhibition was open for 20 days before its closure in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Last year, Hockney exhibited his latest floral iPad works across five regular galleries, including LA Louver in Los Angeles, Galerie Lelong in Paris, Annely Juda Fine Art in London, Gray in Chicago, and Pace in New York. As the celebrated artist turned 86 on July 9, his creative endeavours continue to captivate audiences worldwide.
