Piscine De Medianoche (Paper Pool 30): David Hockney paper pulp work

  • Piscine de Medianoche, Paper Pool 30, 1978

    Piscine de Medianoche, Paper Pool 30, 1978

    Coloured and pressed paper pulp, 51 x 96 in

    Unique work

    ©David Hockney

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    David Hockney's Piscine de Medianoche, Paper Pool 30, 1978 is one of the most atmospheric works in the Paper Pools series, presenting a swimming pool illuminated against a dark night sky. Created in coloured, pressed paper pulp in collaboration with Kenneth Tyler at Tyler Graphics, the composition centres on a pool viewed from the end of a dramatic black diving board. Rich blues and turquoise tones contrast with the surrounding darkness, while subtle reflections across the water create the impression of moonlight shimmering on the surface. The work demonstrates Hockney's ability to transform a familiar subject through changes in light, colour and time of day.

     

    Widely regarded as a unique work, Piscine de Medianoche showcases Hockney's innovative use of handmade paper to create depth and atmosphere. The layered paper pulp introduces gentle tonal variations that give the water a luminous quality despite the dark setting, while the simplified geometry of the pool heightens the composition's sense of stillness. By depicting the swimming pool at night, Hockney expands the visual possibilities of the Paper Pools series, continuing his lifelong exploration of perception, reflection and the changing appearance of water.

  • "Its colour can be man-made and its dancing rhythms reflect not only the sky but... the depth of the water as well."

     

    - David Hockney

    Nighttime offered Hockney a new way to investigate the swimming pool as a subject. Rather than relying on bright Californian sunlight, Piscine de Medianoche explores how darkness transforms colour and reflection, reducing the composition to luminous blues surrounded by deep shadows. This contrast creates a striking sense of depth and demonstrates Hockney's continuing fascination with how changing light alters visual perception.