The Atelier, March 17th 2009

  • The Atelier, March 17th 2009, computer drawing by David Hockney

    The Atelier, March 17th 2009

    Inkjet-printed computer drawing in colours on wove paper

    Edition of 30, Image 57.0 x 94.0 cm, Sheet 74.5 x 109.5 cm

    ©David Hockney

    BACK TO: COMPUTER DRAWINGS
     
    David Hockney’s The Atelier, March 17th 2009, is an example of his early digital practice, combining observational drawing with constructed space. Created using computer-based techniques and printed as an inkjet edition, the composition brings together multiple visual moments within a single, layered environment. The row of seated figures is made up of his 2008 computer portrait, which stretches across the upper register, while the foreground introduces sketched elements, furniture and a stark silhouetted tree that disrupts the spatial logic. This interplay between finished and unfinished forms reflects Hockney’s interest in perception, memory and the act of seeing.
     
    The work demonstrates Hockney’s ability to merge traditional artistic practice with new technology. Perspective is deliberately fractured, with interior and exterior elements coexisting in a flattened, stage-like setting that recalls both studio practice and landscape observation. 
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  • "I believe that the very process of looking can make a thing beautiful"

     

    - David Hockney

    As part of his 2008 to 2009 computer drawings, this work sits at a decisive turning point in Hockney’s career, where digital tools moved from experimentation to a fully integrated part of his practice. Using Photoshop as a drawing medium, Hockney was able to build compositions in layers, revisit marks and rethink spatial relationships in a way that traditional media did not allow. These early works established the visual and technical language that would later be refined in major series such as The Arrival of Spring in Woldgate.