rip-david-hockney:-5-places-to-see-the-legendary-artist’s-work-in-london

RIP David Hockney: 5 places to see the legendary artist’s work in London

Image: David Hockney

The legendary artist David Hockney has died aged 88. 

The prolific painter, who was born in Bradford, was one of the most influential and popular British artists of the modern era. He was best known for his colourful depictions of LA featuring dreamlike images of swimming pools, palm trees and pastel pink architecture, alongside his revolutionary portrayal of gay life during a time when homosexuality was still criminalised in the UK. Later in his six-decade career Hockney became a digital artist, making bold iPad drawings of landscapes in Yorkshire and France.

If you want to experience his work first hand, there are a number of places in the capital where you can see the virtuoso’s paintings. Here we’ve rounded up the best places to see David Hockney’s art in London right now. 

Places to see David Hockney’s art in London

Tate Britain

Hockney’s 1967 masterpiece A Bigger Splash is currently on display in Tate Britain’s free collection. You don’t need a ticket to see this one. 

The gallery is also planning a major retrospective of the artist’s work, which will open in October 2027. 

A Year in Normandie (detail), 2020-2021, composite iPad painting © David Hockney
Image: David HockneyA Year in Normandie (detail), 2020-2021, composite iPad painting © David Hockney

Serpentine North

The Serpentine North gallery is currently hosting a free exhibition of Hockney’s digital artworks. The centrepiece of this show is A Year in Normandie, a ninety-metre-long frieze, inspired by the Bayeux Tapestry, showing the change of seasons at the artist’s Normandy studio. You can book tickets online here

National Portrait Gallery

You can find Hockney’s 2005 painting Self-Portrait with Charlie in the National Portrait Gallery’s free-to-visit permanent collection. It’s on display in Room 30 on Floor 1. 

Someone walking past a David Hockney painting at Tate Modern in London
Photograph: ShutterstockVisitor walking past a David Hockney painting at Tate Modern in London

Tate Modern

During Tate Britain’s retrospective, Tate Modern will turn its Turbine Hall into a massive immersive tribute to Hockney. Exploring a lesser-known aspect of his career, the walls of the hall will be projected with set designs Hockney created for various opera houses around the world. This will take place during summer 2027 and will be free to visit. Both exhibitions are being staged to celebrate what would have been Hockney’s 90th birthday. 

Halcyon Gallery

This commercial art gallery in Mayfair has a number of Hockneys in its collection (which are also for sale). These include etchings, lithographs and iPad drawings. While the gallery’s current exhibition isn’t dedicated to the painter, the gallery changes its display regularly and often features Hockney’s work. His pieces can also be viewed on request. 

???? Time Out’s top 10 exhibitions in London (updated for 2026) 

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