David Hockney turned down the Queen
David Hockney has revealed he turned down a request to paint the Queen because he was “very busy”. The 74-year-old told BBC Radio 4’s Front Row programme she would make a “terrific subject” but he prefers to paint people he knows.
“When I was asked I told them I was very busy painting England actually. Her country,” he said.
An exhibition showcasing his landscape work is to be presented at the Royal Academy of Arts in London next year. Speaking at the London launch of David Hockney: A Bigger Picture, the artist said: “I generally only paint people I know, I’m not a flatterer really. “I’ve been requested and it’s actually a terrific subject, but I require quite a bit of time.”
via BBC News
Graham Spicer, aka ‘Gramilano’, is a writer, director and photographer based in Milan. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. His articles have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the Danza in Italia column for Dancing Times magazine. Graham was the historical advisor on Codice Carla, the 2023 documentary on Italian ballerina Carla Fracci.
Graham also works as a dance photographer, and his photos have appeared in many books, theatre programmes, and magazines, including Dancing Times, Dance Spirit and Ballet2000, as well as all the major Italian newspapers.
He is a member of the Dance Section of The Critics’ Circle.
