Gonzalez and Shadow

1966–1978

Stage designer: “Ubu Roi” and the Glyndebourne operas

Hockney’s first stage designs are for “Ubu Roi” at London’s Royal Court Theatre (1966), followed by Stravinsky’s “The Rake’s Progress” (1975) and “The Magic Flute” (1978) for the Glyndebourne Festival Opera. It is the start of the opera work that will go on in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and London.

by 1970

A retrospective at London’s Whitechapel Gallery

By 1970 London’s Whitechapel Gallery has organised the first of several major retrospectives of Hockney’s work, which subsequently travel to three European institutions.

1973

Working with Picasso’s printer Aldo Crommelynck

Hockney begins a fruitful collaboration with Aldo Crommelynck, Picasso’s preferred printer: in his atelier he adopts the master’s trademark sugar lift, as well as his system of imposing a wooden frame onto the plate to ensure colour separation. Their early work together includes “Artist and Model” (1973–1974) and “Contrejour in the French Style” (1974).

1974

The relationship with Gregory Evans begins

Hockney met Gregory Evans in 1971; in 1974 they begin a decade-long relationship, and in 1976 Evans moves with him to the US. Later they remain business partners, with Evans managing the David Hockney Studio.

1974

Jack Hazan’s film “A Bigger Splash”

Jack Hazan makes a biopic of Hockney, “A Bigger Splash”, named after his 1967 pool painting of the same name.