Artalistic takes you on a deep-dive into one of the most famous paintings in art history, A Bigger Splash by David Hockney. Hockney is one of the leading figures from the Pop-art movement whose bold, colorful and innovative art has mystified audiences for over sixty years.



A Bigger Splash by David Hockney: Understanding the iconic painting



David Hockney’s painting A Bigger Splash is an acrylic on canvas created in 1967 – at this period in time acrylic was a fairly new, lesser used medium. It is presently on display at the Tate Gallery in London. It stands out from other paintings created in the 1960s due to the white boarder that Hockney painted around the edges of the canvas, suggesting the border of a polaroid photograph.



A pool lover

Probably the most famous painting by David Hockney, A Bigger Splash is not his only painting of a swimming pool. In fact, Hockney loved swimming pools and even used pool equipment catalogs as inspiration for many of his pieces.

David Hockney created a series of famous paintings of swimming pools after he visited Los Angeles entitled: The Little Splash, The Splash and A Bigger Splash. The artist also enjoyed painting landscapes, specifically seascapes and fauna.

The British artist visited California in the early 1960s and fell in love with the bright colors and laid-back lifestyle. His work immediately reflected his new-found love for the crisp and vivid Californian sun, exploring new ways of depicting the world surrounding him. He also purchased a 35mm camera to use photographs as source images for his paintings. His flat blocks of primary colors and rigid depictions of the human figure seem to mirror and imitate a moment captured in time.



A Bigger Splash by David Hockney

The painting depicts a style of modern architecture that is typical in Los Angeles. Two palm trees sever the bright blue sky with child-like enthusiasm. A producer's chair on the deck reminds us where the scene takes place.

The diving board awkwardly cuts into the foreground accentuating the painting’s overwhelming flatness. Then the splash – a moment of softness crescendos with a boom of foam and movement.



Who’s the diver?

No one will ever have the answer to the question that pops into the everyone’s mind the first time they see this painting – Who just dove into the water? It probably doesn't matter. Hockney’ goal was to disturb the perfect moment of solitude present throughout the rest of the scene.



Inventing a world

Unlike the majority of David Hockney's work, this painting does not depict any people. However, much like Edward Hopper, he is able to create a hypnotically enigmatic world through the power of suggestion. The details in the unnoticed corners are what bring this piece to life - the reflection of the neighboring houses in the bay window and the carefully cut grass whisper of human presence despite its lack thereof. 



David Hockney’s A Bigger Splash: A technical masterpiece

David Hockney's A Bigger Splash is deceptively minimalist. In reality he planned out every shape and color to the last detail. The geometry is meticulous, down to a grid-like composition, making the playful splash jarring. Here Hockney plays with the rationalism of geometric art and its stylistic antithesis embodied by expressionism.

The cult documentary A Bigger Splash about David Hockney

If David Hockney’s work interests you, we highly recommend watching the documentary film created by Jack Hazan in 1973. The documentary was named after this iconic painting. In this film, the British filmmaker follows David Hockney while he is in the midst of an artistic and emotional crisis.



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